


Renegades II The Flames of Belief

by gothikuk



Series: Renegades saga [2]
Category: Warhammer - All Media Types, Warhammer 40.000
Genre: Gore, Heresy, Multi, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-28
Updated: 2015-02-28
Packaged: 2018-03-15 15:32:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 30,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3452381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gothikuk/pseuds/gothikuk
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Emperor has emerged from his self imposed exile a different being. He has gathered Rogal Dorn, Konrad Curze, Angron, Lorgar, Lion El'Johnnson, and Ferrus Mannus to him and revealed that all he has preached was wrong that there are gods.</p><p>Now the Emperor seeks to bring a new age of enlightenment, confident in his power to rule the gods of Chaos and bring them to his way of thinking.</p><p>With horror at what his father is doing, Magnus the Red seeks out Horus to warn him of what is happening. Horus sends Abaddon and Loken with Ahriman to the world of Venus IX to investigate Magnus's claims.</p><p>What they find does not bode well.</p><p>Sanguineous and Alpharius are disturbed to discover that the Emperors Children had a hand in the severe beating of three of the Alpha Legions Human Agents.</p><p>Vulkan has warred alongside Angron and given a hammer by his father but his mind is torn apart by the warped powers inside the hammer and in a shocking turn of events Salamander turns on Salamander, World Eater on World Eater.</p><p>The Emperor needs his sons and grandsons to be loyal to him and him alone.........</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The Emperors inner palace rang with the sound of metal crashing on metal. Out side the vast doors that prevented entrance to the forge stood two mighty giants of the Morlocks, the bodyguards of the Primarch himself.

They came to a swift attention as the footsteps of the first captain approached, their halberds coming to arms.

“How long has our father been in the forge?” The First Captain looked passively at the doors but his question was directed to Brother-Sergeant Lennox who stood to the left side of the great forge.

“Three days my lord” The great terminator replied respectfully.

Gabriel Santor nodded to himself and opened the doors; the heat of the forge hit him straight away. Temperatures that would cause a human to dehydrate in moments merely caused sheen of sweat to sit on the Captains brow.

He heard the ringing of the hammer on the forge and knew that his father was creating another perfect weapon or armour to aid the Emperor in his endeavours. Gabriel however had his concerns about just what was being placed into his fathers’ masterpieces.

He moved to the forge area and fluently went to one knee and waited. He would wait for as long as it would take for his father to attend him. One did not disturb The Gorgon unless there was a reason and that would be a summons from the Emperor.

After two hours the Primarch of the Iron Hands emerged, his silver hands flowing from their liquid mercury make up almost with a life of their own, almost as if something else lived in the hands of his father other then the life blood that was his.

“Speak my favoured son,” The deep voice of Ferrus Manus echoed around the Imperial Forge.

“The lord of the Word Bearers wishes to speak with you my lord” Gabriel explained “I would not allow his First Captain to come himself and disturb you”

Ferrus chuckled although it sounded more like the rumbling of one of the many volcanoes depths that covered the unstable world of their home, but then again the fire of Medusa was not only in them but also in the Primarch that crashed into their world as a baby.

Deep and sounding like it was ready to erupt at any time.

“Walk with me Gabriel,” Ferrus ordered “Let me see what my orator brother has to say to me before we resume our part of the Great Crusade”

Santor did not miss the irony that dripped on the last words his father spoke. Word had reached them of Vulkan joining the Emperors new crusade but when he had also heard that World Eater and Salamander had turned on those of their brothers that would not have followed the new law, he had made sure that all the Iron Hands were loyal to the Emperor and their father.

He had no wish to kill a brother Iron Hand and was relieved that all the Iron Hands took the new oath but then, he was also aware that the Iron Hands were loyal to Ferrus first and the Emperor next.

Not that anyone had told the Emperor that, what he had done to the Custode that had not agreed with the great change in direction and who had apparently tried to send word to the First Primarch had got around the Emperors circle.

Ferrus had suspected it was so his sons who were part of this new crusade would know what would happen to those who dared betray him or refuse him. Santor had not brought up what had happened with the Salamanders and the World Eaters. It probably was not the time or the place.

And a First Captain did not dare voice his disquiet over fratricide. If it had to be done it had to be done, all that he had to say was thank the ancient Medusans that it was not going to happen to his Legion.

He walked alongside his father and two of the Terminator Morlock bodyguards fell dutifully into place.

 

Loken and Abaddon moved swiftly through the Vengeful Spirit, Ahriman at their side. They ignored even their own brother Astartes as they made their way to the Warmasters stratagem.

All three Astartes had heavy hearts and it reflected in their footfalls. Against all that the two Lunar Wolves wanted to believe and what even the Thousand Son First Captain believed.

All three of the transhumans wanted to believe that against all the wisdom of the Crimson King, that for all his skills with the powers of the warp or the Great Ocean as the Thousand Sons preferred to call it, that he was wrong.

That he had been wrong and shown an alternative future that he had mistaken for their time.

The fact that he was not had not made them feel any better. They had expected Ahriman to crow a little about how correct the powers of the Crimson King had been, for they could be a proud bunch these Thousand Sons and in the eyes of their cousins they were aloof.

But not this time, not now when it was plain that a world had been lain to ruin at the hands of not just a fellow Legion but at the hands of The Praetorian himself, one of Horus’s closest brothers.

No, the Warmaster was not going to like this one little bit.

 

Lorgar waited until he was left alone with Ferrus and the two brothers walked to the ramparts of the Imperial Palace. Both took some time to take in the views that this afforded them.

Spanning half the world it seemed impossible to most humans to even walk the walls in one lifetime but to an Astartes who were used to crossing such vast distances in the time it took the Imperial Army to even move half a day it was nothing.

Below the newly formed Black Templars were constructing the mighty cathedral alongside the Word Bearers in dedication to the Emperor and Chaos Undivided. The Cathedral had been designed by Lorgar and fortified by Rogal Dorn.

It was indeed going to be a splendid place to worship the Emperor. Lorgar himself felt vindicated at his fathers’ words and that the sins of the Ultramarines against his Legion forgotten, well forgotten as much as Lorgar forgot any slight against his belief.

For now he was concentrating on becoming the spokesman of the gods and the channel between them and their father. He was concentrating on spreading the new religion throughout the crusade fleet and the Lectio Divinatius was even now as he stood looking at the world before him, finding its way into the fleets.

“The cleansing of the Salamanders and the World Eaters are complete” Lorgar told Ferrus “Did you need to take such measures?”

“I had no need to” Ferrus proudly stated, “The sons of Medusa are not afraid of change and would follow me wherever I lead them”

“There are those Ferrus who would say that your Legion will not follow the Emperor but more the ways of Mars” Lorgar carefully spoke.

It had long been suspected that the Iron Hands had more of an affinity towards Mars and their outlook that made them more like Astartes of Mars rather then the Emperors Astartes.

Lorgar however saw this not as something to be suspicious about, but something to be embraced. He leant forward and surveyed the lands before him. It was hard to believe that once upon a time a mighty ocean and a vast mountain range that was called the roof of the world had surrounded the very land that this mighty palace was built on.

“We hold a similar belief to the Mechanicum that is all Aurelian” Ferrus smiled a little and Lorgar nodded in thanks as his brother concluded, “As long as I breathe brother we will follow the Emperor.”

“Then my brother I have need of you”

“Speak and it shall be done, but be warned I am not a diplomat, although I am astounded that Angron managed to bring Vulkan into the fold”

Lorgar chuckled a little “Yes that was a surprise but then Vulkan is a warrior of fire and Angron respects that, as far as Angron respects anything, but it is good that the Salamander joins us,” He stood straighter “no brother I ask that you travel to Mars and convince the Fabricator General that the new direction of the Omnissiah is the one for them all to take”

“That might take some time brother” Ferrus warned “We both know what he is like and that he will expect something in return.”

Lorgar rested a hand on his brothers shoulder and leaned in close “The affinity the Iron Hands have with the Mechanicum is what will sway them to the new crusade but if they do not then ……”

His voice trailed off and Ferrus knew what that meant. He would have to take whatever means were nessercary to ensure that the Mechanicum followed in the new direction of the Crusade.

“Also my brother of the Forge” Lorgars voice seemed to change in cadence, like honey over silk “if they will not bow down to the master of Medusa and the Master of Mankind then the Iron Hands will have a new world to claim as their own for only the Iron Hands can do what the Mechanicum does”

Ferrus gave a half smile and bowed his head “It will be done brother”

He spoke into his vox bead and waited. Gabriel appeared a few moments later carrying a large case and held it as Ferrus opened it and reached into it, withdrawing a mighty Crozius Arcanum.

It writhed with energy, the same energy that had converted Vulkan to the new order now seemed to purr in the master forgers hands. The head was the symbol of Chaos Undivided, it was inevitable that at some point other legions would choose their own deities and it was already obvious that the World Eaters were heading in the direction of Khorne.

“For you brother, so that none can dispute the authority you wield as the voice of the Emperor.”

Lorgar was genuinely touched and hugged his brother. Lorgar had only ever believed the one brother he could count on in terms of confidence and closeness was Magnus and it had hurt him that the Crimson King had ignored their fathers’ summons.

He had not expected this but as he held the gold handled Crozius he could feel the power of the warp course through the grip and into him. He who was named as the Voice of the Emperor was also the channel of the gods.

He ran his hand over the metal and wanted to weep at the carvings in ancient Colchis that Ferrus had spent days intricately carving into the metal the name of the Crozius that he had called Faith Bringer.

“Faith Bringer” Lorgar repeated and tightened his grip on the handle “and she will be”


	2. Chapter 2

Horus roared his denial at first. This was inconceivable to him he would have expected word of this from Angron or Russ but not Dorn. Not the Praetorian himself who had guided Horus’s hand at times and who had stood by his side when he was named Warmaster.

His eyes glinted with the flint of anger and the three kneeling Astartes flinched visibly at the Warmasters anger. Only Magnus did not but he wisely kept his own council.

Horus paced up and down then stopped before the three Astartes Lords. “Rise, rise my sons and my nephew, my anger is not at you”

Slowly Abaddon, Loken, and Ahriman rose and stared at a fixed point beyond the Warmasters shoulder.

“Which of you will tell me what occurred and how it happened.”

Abaddon nudged Loken and the Captain of the Tenth stepped forward. He bowed his head to both Horus and Magnus and began his report using the map that Horus had brought up on the holo-projector.

Every now and then the Warmaster and the Crimson King would interrupt to get more details but mostly they let Loken finish his report and as a final nail in the coffin of the fists he set down the scouts Legion symbol.

There was no denying it, Rogal Dorn had committed genocide, and as Horus turned the Imperial Fist symbol over in his hand he wondered what else was going on. He turned to Magnus, the unasked question in his eyes.

“I am sorry Lupercal” Magnus quietly spoke “But there is only one man who can order the Praetorian like that and as close as you and Rogal are….” He let his voice trail.

Horus clenched his fists and closed his eyes “He’s gone mad, locking himself away from me. From us” he corrected quickly “he has gone mad”

Abaddon cast a wary glance at his brother and cousin, the winds of change were in the air, and it did not smell good.

 

The Khan strode across the field and clasped hands with the Great Wolf King. He laughed a little and to those around them it was indeed a sight to see.

Jughati Khan and Leman Russ striding across the field of battle together and laying waste to the xenos scum that had inhabited this world. It would be sung in the skalds songs forever, the Wolf King and the Great Khan side by side smiting the Dark Eldar scum.

“My thanks brother” Jughati stroked his beard and looked around him “When I realised you were in the area I could not let the opportunity of warring with my brother pass me by”

Leman clasped a giant hand on his brothers’ shoulder “It has been too long Jughati. Your sons are still lightning fast?”

“As ever brother”

“Good then we have one more goal to achieve, the blasted Eldar dark kin are holed up here” He scratched a crude map in the ground and Jughati knelt beside him. “I will bring The Rout through the mountains to cut off their escape here, here and here.”

“What about the gun emplacements that they have taken over, from what I recall Perturabo built those encampments and reducts”

“Who do you think told me the best way to take them down?” Russ smiled and his fangs glistened “When I told him that he had lost warriors here to the blasted Eldar I swore to him that the Khan and the Wolf King will destroy them “

Khan nodded once. To know that the garrison force of the 54th Grand Company Iron Warriors were dead had disturbed the Great Khan. As moody and sullen as the Iron Warriors were they were great siege masters and fortress builders.

He shared his thoughts with Russ “I will send Captain Sonsu and the 18th who we call the Sand Riders through this pass here and that should open the way into the underground passageways.”

He rested one arm over his knee “Leman, has it occurred to you that that Iron Warriors might have been betrayed?”

Russ looked around him as if to make certain that no other could hear him or his brothers’ conversation.

“Aye that thought had crossed my mind, as dour and humourless as the Olympians are they are not fools and would not have been taken so easily.”

“But how, it would have to be someone who was here and who saw how The Comrade built this, he built this himself” Khan gestured at the Bastion below them.

Russ was silent for a moment almost as if recalling the battle. The battle of Elysian had begun when giant mutants had come from the mountains slaughtering all in their wake,

They were xenos and they were mutants and therefore by the edicts of the Emperor they were to be killed. The Iron Warriors alongside the Dark Angels had valiantly fought to bring the populace of this world into compliance.

“The Dark Angels, it was one of the few times Perturabo and the Lion had fought together” Russ raised his head and arched a thick set eyebrow “You don’t think…oh come on I know the Lion is a bit of a egotist but selling his own brother out to the Eldar? What would that achieve?”

“Brother I have fought the Eldar on plenty of occasions including the Dark Kin they are opportunists, pirates but even they would not attack an entire garrison unless they had the odds stacked in their favour” Khan scratched his ear “The Lion has been acting strange of late”

”He is always acting strange” Russ snorted “but we will see, let us get our sons together and attack these xenos bastards, anything else can be dealt with later”

“See you there brother” The Khan smiled and called his warriors together leaving the Wolf King to do the same.

Elysian would not know what had hit it.

 

Constantine Valdor walked the former Himalayasian Peaks. He did this whenever he needed time to think. The commander of the Custodes, the Dread Guardians of the Emperor themselves and his most staunch protectors,

However, with the death of Hussar he had been hearing the disquiet amongst the other Custodes. As the Chief Custode he had served the Emperor far longer then any other of the Leigio Custodes.

With over 932 names to his honour he considered the Emperor his friend as well as his master. It was rare for him to be away from the Emperors side but just for moment he needed the air of the mountains to clear his confused mind.

Valdor was not a man to follow any man blindly but the actions over the last few months of not just the Emperor but also his chosen sons was cause for concern to him. Lorgar now spent more time in the company of the Emperor then even himself or the Sigilitte.

He had respected Lorgar as a learned man and a skilful Orator but damn Colchisan theological obsessions. The Emperor was never a god, a very long-lived and skilled man, but never a god.

He sat on the ground ignoring the awe struck looks of the people as they made their way under him and hurried off. It was humbling to see a Primarch but to see a lone Custode was a rare sight indeed and one that not many were keen on seeing.

Now Lorgar was his voice, proclaiming his religious doctrine with all the zeal of ancient Popes and the like. Rogal Dorn…now of all the Primarchs with perhaps the exceptions of Horus and Sanguineous, he respected Dorn.

He genuinely liked Dorn and he had thought that if any of them he would see that that this was turning everything upside down on its head. Like himself and his Leigio the Primarchs were independent of thought.

They had their own ways of doing things and thus their sons were modelled in the same way, however unlike the Custodes, the Astartes had a brotherhood and he would have thought that Dorn would have fallen on that brotherhood and not followed the others into this – road to ruin.

To kill an entire world for the sake of a relic that was not something of goodness but of degradation amongst other things. If The Praetorian had even thought twice about his fathers’ actions, with the creation of the Black Templars under the zealot Sigismund any doubt was long gone.

He removed his helm and ran his hand over his mohicaned hair, his blue eyes surveying the world around him.

Fulgrim, The Phoenician was always a bit – effeminate in his tastes but that made him no less a fighter, forever seeking his fathers approval and striving to reach the height of perfection in war and knowledge that he could never truly attain.

As perfect as the sons were crafted they would not and never could be on the same level as their father. Anyone who told the lord of Chemos that though was subjected to the petulant ranting of a spoilt child who had his favourite toy taken away.

He was a Primarch but he had his goals and his aspirations and it was always a source of pride to him that his legion was allowed to bear the Emperors standard on their armour.

Angron.... ah now there was one who Valdor truly believed was rage incarnate. Whenever the Red Angel warred it was bend over and kiss your arse goodbye. Valdor could always see the simmering rage that was sat deep behind the War Hounds eyes. It was a drug to him and the more blood he spilt the happier he was.

Sometimes Valdor wondered if Angron was as sane as he made out. The Emperor had told him once to not make anymore of his World Eaters enhanced through those damn psychological implants, before he went to war alongside Vulkan the Emperor told him to continue with it.  
Never had Valdor seen Angron so pleased with his fathers’ choices and that had scarred the hell out of Valdor and not much in any lifetime did that.

The Lion, Valdor shifted his position a little causing some snow to dislodge and make its way down what was left of the ancient top of the world peaks. Lion El’Johnnson was indeed an enigma.

Several days ago he had sent the majority of his Terran born sons back to Caliban under the auspice of helping future recruits from Caliban but he had also had some of his Caliban sons sent back as well as his surrogate father Luther.

There was something not right there and Valdor could not put his finger on it but if any man was capable of keeping his cards close to his chest it was the Lord of Caliban. The Emperor had been a little bit annoyed when the Lion had returned with news that Perturabo would not be following any other direction other then that set out for him.

He was also a bit miffed that the Lion had stepped on Perturabos shoes on a battlefield, especially when he knew that this particular warfare, siege craft was Perturabos speciality.

The Gorgon had been a surprise, he had always done as was expected of him, but his close links with the Mechanicum had ensured that he would be chosen as one of the inner circle.

Even now Ferrus was on his way to Mars with his Legion under the words of Lorgar and the Emperor. Valdor shook his head and stroked his beard Mars would not like this new turn of events, essentially as it made the treaty null and void and by sending the Iron Hands, the Emperor was letting them know that he knew their secrets.

The there was Curze. Even Valdor shivered at the mention of the Master of Night, The chief Custode pitied Curze as much as felt uneasy around him, his debilitating visions made him Lorgars vision pool but his need to sow the seeds of terror wherever he struck made him unpredictable.

Valdor knew that as soon as Curze had been brought on board that the madmen had been let out of the asylum. Somehow, someway he had to let Horus know what was going on and indeed what had befallen Vulkan and the Salamanders.

Vulkan was like a dead man walking, whatever had taken his soul into the power of the warp entities had left him with no light in his eyes, just a darkness that seemed to encompass him and control him.

He had taken it upon himself to fight the Eldar, dark or otherwise wherever they may be and the Emperor had allowed it, for none knew their ways better then the scion of Nocturne and his sons.

Valdor looked back towards the palace walls. Once he had been able to be open with his old friend, now he had to guard even his own thoughts and against one that he once trusted and who was in the most powerful psyker in the human race, it was not an easy thing to accomplish.

The dream was over it was just none of the other sons knew it yet. With a heavy heart he got to his feet and began his long and lonely trek back to the palace. Unsure of what he was going to do or, even how he was going to achieve it. 

Ferrus sat listening to the Fabricator General of Mars. They had been more then welcoming to the Primarch of the Iron Hands, feeling that this legion and this legion alone were in tune with their ideals over machine and flesh.

He nodded in some places as the Fabricator General explained about new vessels being constructed for use in the great crusade. He had been shown the new plans for better armour and weapons ready to serve the living embodiment of the Omnissiah.

However when Ferrus explained that the Emperor was on a new course and that he would require the help of his Martian allies and that would mean ceding their authority to Terra, things had turned a little sour.

The mighty Primarch had been most apologetic and it had amused Gabriel how diplomatic his father could be, he had apologised and said that things were needed to be sacrificed and unfortunately at this juncture that meant the ancient pact with Mars would have to come under renewal.

“Preposterous!” Kelbor-Hal bellowed, “We signed the treaty in good faith, we have our autonomy and why would the Emperor even think of such a thing?”

Ferrus set his goblet down which seemed tiny in his mighty silver hands. He gently rang a finger round the rim of the goblet, his senses already letting him know the vintage, the area where it was grown.

“Fabricator General Hal” he politely began “We are not saying that Mars cannot continue on its own course, however we are in need of everything that Mars has and do not forget, the Emperor did slay the Dragon whose technology you so pride fully keep secret”

His eyes remained friendly but the head of the Mechanicum did not fail to notice the slight flicker behind the façade. He narrowed his eyes a little and curled his lip in an approximation of a sneer. Although with all the replacements he had made to himself it was not much of a sneer.

“I will fight you, Mars remains loyal to Mars and we will sussed from the Imperium if this course of action continues”

Ferrus got to his feet and with a slight wave of his hand the Morlocks behind him formed up.

“I am sorry to hear that Kelbor, after all our years of service for each other I would have thought that you would have seen the wisdom behind the Emperor, YOUR Emperors words and visions.”

He turned and moved towards the door and as he stopped his Terminators opened fire on the council.

The Skittari did not have time to react as bolter shells pierced the flesh and components of men and machines alike. Santor flicked a switch and the powerful guns that sat around the room opened fire and splattered fluid and blood everywhere.

It was like walking in an oil slick and mixed with brains and guts it became a slipperier affair. Ferrus raised his hand and the shots stopped. He took a deep breath and stood over the dying Fabricator General.

“Welcome to the new Imperium” he quietly said and raised his foot bringing it down on the head of Kelbor-Hal with a sickening crunch of bone and plate.

Ferrus glanced at the Cog Symbol and turned to Santor “Go to all the forges on Mars and if any of them refuse to follow the Emperor, you know what to do. If I have to I will install my own forge masters with the Iron Fathers.”

Santor bowed his head and with a motion of his head his Terminator squad followed him, already drop pods were landing on the planet and the Iron Hands began their takeover of Mars.


	3. Chapter 3

If the Dark Eldar thought they had seen everything the Imperium had to offer in the ways of warriors, then they were completely wrong. They had faced the savage Lunar Wolves and the berserker World Eaters, they had fought the warriors of fire countless times over the decades that they had made Nocturne a prime target for their raiding parties.

They had even faced the wrath of Khan and his sons on numerous occasions but nothing, nothing would prepare them for what was to come from the Legion that was known as the Space Wolves, but to the sons of Fenris, they were simply the Rout.

To see them war was to see war at its most brutal; the Space Wolves were never unleashed in all their fury unless it was needed and this world needed it. They were the guard dogs of the Imperium and many whispered that they should have come with a health warning.

Do not break unless in case of extreme Armageddon.

They fought like no other warriors the Dark Kin had faced before and as the two Legions, the White Scars and the Space Wolves made their way towards the bastion killing everything in their path, the two Primarchs could see the heads of the Bastions former defenders mounted along the wall.

It angered Russ that brave warriors like the Iron Warriors should have to be defaced like this. His brother may have been a humourless nark, but he was still a warrior of renown and honour and that was why Russ wanted to be the one to present the leader of this invasion to his brother.

To prove to Perturabo once and for all that he was a valued brother. What the Iron Warriors lacked in humour they more then made up for in siege craft and bastion building.

The Dark Eldar watched from the battlements as the Scars and the Rout cut down their warriors like they were knives through butter. And for every one of them they killed, there were plenty of dead Eldar at their feet.

There was a group of Scars protecting a Wolves Apothecary as he extracted the gene-seed not only from two dead Space Wolves but a White Scars who had fallen with them.

They would be kept separate and would be given to the White Scars at the end so they could create the next generation. Brother Sergeant Movar of the Scars glanced over his shoulder.

It did not do to hurry the Apothecary, such delicate work and rituals over the dead were important and he had no wish to bring bad omens to the dead warriors but he also had no wish to loose the Apothecary to a Dark Eldar shuriken.

He heard one of his men groan and turned to see Brother Chan fall to his knees, his hand ruined by several shuriken. He took his chainsword and cut his hand off then got back to his feet.

“I have another” He told his Sergeant and with a careful aim took out the Eldar that had taken his hand. He smiled in grim satisfaction as the head exploded in an array of blood and meat.

Movar nodded once and returned his attention to the Apothecary. “Brother whilst I acknowledge and respect the necessity of your work, we need to get moving, the Eldar are targeting you it would seem”

Apothecary Heldengard turned his bare head to the Sergeant and grinned a little, the fangs glinting. He was a healer but he was still a son of Fenris and the Sergeant inclined his head a little.

“My apologies, my friend” He smiled.

“None needed Jaka” Heldengard got to his feet, his bloody work done and glanced down at the bodies, “There will be much more to do before this battle is over and we will be interning many Sons of Russ as you will be interning many Sons of Khan”

Movar made a sign of respect over the dead and with his squad and the Routs Apothecary headed into battle once more.

 

They thought they had seen it all, all the monkeigh had to throw at them and in their eyes they were savages and they were nothing better then slave fodder, or better still they would be great sacrifices to their god.

But they had never expected to see two mighty gods of war stride the field of battle, one they had fought countless times on that world of fire the Monkeigh called Nocturne, and, even to them they had to admit that their battles against him had been breathtaking for a savage.

But the other they were not prepared for.

It did not matter what they threw at him he and his warriors took it all like wild beasts. Grappling with them hand to hand had been a mistake for the savages of Fenris cared little about who their enemies were.

Only that their enemies died and if they were to die then they would die with the honour that death accorded one who fought with the rigours of a death world from the time they were born.

The Rout, at their fathers command was indeed a sight to be seen and if the Dark Eldar were honest, a sight to be feared. The red haired giant that led them seemed to emit violence in a way that even they were not ready for.

By his side two enormous wolves, bigger then anything they had not ever seen before nor would they ever see its like again. When he roared his challenge to the Dark Eldar it was echoed not by hundreds of voices not even a thousand voices.

It was echoed by twenty thousand voices Space Wolves and Scars both, their savage roars filled the skies as a call to ancient gods. In some long forgotten time it was said that some warriors howled with their dead, to let the afterlife know that a warrior comes to the halls.

They were letting the enemy know that they were there and that was when bolters barked, swords came to life, hammers caved skulls in, and chainswords ripped guts from stomachs.

The Rout and the Scars had come to restore the honour of the Iron Warriors and it did not matter how many of them died to do that.

It would be done and so it was.

 

Russ crushed the face of a Dark Eldar under his boot and stood surveying the carnage around him. The dead of both Legions would be honoured and, as was Russ’s way he would honour the dead of his brothers Legion with feast and song.

He waited for Khan to join him and watched as Bjorn came towards them both as Khan stopped by Russ’s side.

“My lords is the Xenos scum who killed the warriors inside” Bjorn bowed his head in respect and fealty to both Primarchs.

Khan allowed himself a rare smile; he knew that there was closeness between Leman Russ and Bjorn that marked Bjorn as one of the favoured sons. He appreciated the honour Bjorn did him.

It was not often the Wolves gave respect unless they had to. No matter whom they were in the presence of, save the Emperor of course and that went without saying.

Russ looked down at the Dark Eldar and cocked his head like the great alpha he was sizing up his prey or as Khan mused on it, like the alpha sizing up the threat to his authority.

The Great Wolf glanced at the Great Khan and stepped back “Brother.” He swept his arm forward “You have experience dealing with these Xenos scum so shall we take this someplace more…private?”

Khan nodded “Take him to the Castellans office” He told Bjorn “We will deal with him there”

“Yes my lord” Bjorn did as the Great Khan ordered.


	4. Chapter 4

The vessel floated dead in the water, it was a sorry sight indeed to those that came for a closer look. The Indomitable Will edged closer, the human officers on the bridge of the capital ship working for the giant that stood behind them, and all that could be heard was the occasional intake of breath from him.

The pale gaunt giant leant on the railings of his command stratagem and watched the screen intently. He hardly noticed the First Officer pass a wafer to the Admiral who then read it and passed it to the Astartes that was beside them

Captain Kadox of the Fifth Company came to the side of the giant and bowed his head “It is what remains of the Fire Mountain my lord, a strike cruiser belonging to the Salamanders”

The giant took the wafer and read it then returned his dark hollow gaze at the screen the face set in stone and the only indication he was even alive was the breathing of Barbarous air that he took deep into himself.

There was no hair, his head was totally hairless, and there was no stubble to signify a shadow of a beard. Unlike his brothers he was thin and there were those who would have likened him to the mythical Grim Reaper.

To many of the Rememberancers that travelled with the Death Guard fleet when they had caught glimpses of the Death Lord he certainly fit that analogy.  
Kadox inclined his head respectfully at the two bodyguards and briefly wondered who they had been, had then even been brothers of his own company, then pushed the thoughts from his mind.

It did no good to wonder, he would never know the Primarchs bodyguard would remain a mystery all he knew was that they had been battle brothers and now they were his fathers bodyguard.

Their names unknown and their previous lives foresworn, they never spoke unless it was to the Primarch himself and even then no one ever heard them speak they were called The Deathshroud, his own elite bodyguard and utterly loyal to him and him alone

Mortarion turned his gaze onto his Fifth Captain and Kadox filled with pride as his beloved fathers dark eyes softened as it always did when he spoke to one of his sons

“It says the vessel has suffered multiple attacks and that the engine room was destroyed prior to it exiting the warp.” Mortarions eyebrows rose “It would appear someone took great pains to ensure this vessel did not survive the warp. Kadox get twenty of your best and meet me in the hanger bay”

Kadox felt his chest swell with pride and his twin hearts hammer in his chest, he was going to be alongside his father, and nothing would have dissuaded him from this duty.

“Yes my lord”

“If someone attacked one of my brothers vessels I want to know why, ensure you have at least three Apothecaries with you. Just in case we need them”

Kadox saluted his father and bowed his head and went to carry out his orders. Mortarion returned his attention to the screen and his grim visage returned. Some sort of death had come to the Salamanders vessel and he wanted to know why they were obviously fleeing 

 

The Castellans office was a mess to say the least and as Khan and Russ came into the vast room they took in the carnage that was wrought before their gazes. Human warriors of the Imperial Army attached to the Olympian sons lay decapitated across the floor.

Several Iron Warriors lay slumped in corners alongside the human dead but there were enough Eldar bodies to show that it had not been a one sided battle. Khan motioned to Apothecary Sangor.

“Collect the gene seed which will be given back to Lord Perturabo,” He ordered quietly.

“As you command Lord” Sangor bowed his head.

“Bjorn, collect the tags of the dead humans” Russ ordered, “So that they may be remembered by their masters”

Bjorn nodded and pushed the Archon into a chair with such force he almost splintered the chair. Russ pointed to the Archon and both the wolves with him sat either side of the Dark Eldar, to Khan it was simple, if he tried to escape then the two wolves that Russ called brothers would make that idea very foolish.

Jaghati Khan took a long moment to look at his enemy. Like all the Eldar there was an ancient elegance about the man and he might have been handsome once, had it not been for the overly pale complexion that made even the Lord of the Death Guard look tanned.

His eyes were white and his hair was a dark black that seemed to shine of its own accord. Probably through living in the dark recesses of Commorragh, or some other blighted world.

His teeth were filed to points and he didn’t want to think about the cloak the man was wearing. It sure as hell did not look like cloth more like skin. He had seen much in his long years but this was something else.

He pulled a large chair up and over and sat across the back of it. He was no Alpharius but he had spent a great deal of time with Vulkan and he knew that how to deal with this – xenos scum.

If Alpharius was here it would be conducted differently but this was Jaghati Khans way of dealing with this and it would bear fruit and it would be recovered before he let Russ do what he obviously wanted to do with him.

Judging by the expressions on the two wolves faces dinnertime sprang to mind, he didn’t need to ask who was the main meal.

“Tell me how you managed to breach this Fortress’s defences?” He asked. His voice quiet and yet more powerful for it there was no threat held within it but those around knew it would come.

The Archon smiled and his teeth glinted with caked blood and gore. He gave no answer except arching spittle that caught Khan on his shoulder guard.

“And they call us barbarians” He glanced at his brother.

Russ snorted in amusement “That is a compliment to me brother”

Khan stroked his long thick red moustache and seemed to be pondering the situation for a moment and then like a snake he latched onto a gem like object around the neck of the Eldar.

The Archon struggled a little but the two massive hands of Leman Russ pinned him to his seat and a very powerful cuff round the head sent the Archon reeling, he was lucky the Wolf King had pulled his blow.

That was a blow that would give an Astartes a headache.

Khan turned it over in his hand and met the Eldars gaze, although the Archon attempted to regain his composure it had not worked and the Great Khan realised that this was what Vulkan had taught him about years ago.

“Brother of Wolves” Khan kept his amiable tone but directed it at Russ, his gaze never once leaving the Dark Eldar “We were told that the Eldar fell to some sort of cataclysm within their own empire.

Vulkan told me of the dark kin of these once – ahem – noble Xenos, it would appear that unlike their cousins, they revel in excess’s of pain, pleasure and torment especially when as psychic as they are the death throws of one of their victims must be a pretty potent drug.

He did however tell me that they guard these stones, they are important to them for some reason or other and judging by our friends reaction here when I touched it, I would hazard a guess to say that is right.”

“Let go of it Mon-keigh scum” The Archon snarled, spittle flying from his teeth.

“I am Jaghati Khan, father of the White Scars, this is Leman Russ, father of the – Rout” Russ inclined his head at the proper use of his sons name “we call them the Space Wolves this fortress that you and your dying kind attacked was built by our brother Perturabo, father of the Iron Warriors.

I will ask again how did you get in here and who gave you the means to do this?”

To emphasis his intentions he closed his hand over the Soul Stone, not enough to crush it but enough to show the Archon what he intended to do.

 

Boots echoed round the halls of the Fire Mountain as Mortarion and his sons made their way slowly through the corridors. Fires sparked and coils hung in ghostly tendrils. Holes in the bulkheads glistened as the shielding fizzed in and out.

Kadox held his ornate bolter tightly to his chest as he scanned left and right, his duty to his Primarch before any other consideration. The pride he felt at being by his fathers’ side was insurmountable and yet he knew the consequences should anything befall his father on his watch.

Two of the Deathshroud moved either side of their father and their presence although unnerving was welcome.

The scene of death and destruction was everywhere. Brothers Montaro and Fergo lifted a bulkhead off two fallen Salamanders. Mortarion stopped and crouched down. As the Lord of Death it was nothing to be feared off.

Mortarion did not fear death, he, and death were close friends and allies and his beloved Death Guard were the same. They were invulnerable to most things and their reputation was well earnt, this however was something else entirely.

He reverently took the helm off the nearest Salamander who Kadox identified as Brother Jenara. It wasn’t the death of an Astartes that concerned Mortarion, for as the Emperors Angels of Death it all had to come to that in the end and even his own sons were not immune to death.

It was the expression on the dead Salamanders face that caught his breath. He touched his finger to the Astartes cheek to feel tears there. He glanced at Kadox whose face mirrored his fathers’ expression.

Disbelief and shock at such an expression on a warrior’s face when death in battle was what they all sought this told of something else, something that was not honourable but neither man could put their finger on it.

Mortarion said nothing and got to his feet. This death was pointless, that was what this told him, they had been fleeing something or someone so devastating to even the hardened Astartes that they had cried.

Slowly he moved on and came to a locked room. Handing his scythe to the nearest Deathshroud he got his fingers between the doors and with a couple of deep breaths pulled the doors apart with a strength that belied his slender frame.

Inside was an Astartes laying dead in the corner of the room, a large piece of the bulkhead embedded in his stomach and on the bed lay a human woman. She had been dead for a while but there was something in her hand.

Mortarion stepped over the shattered room and gently despite his huge hands removed the camera from her grasp. He sat on the edge of the bed and turned the image recorder on then watched.

Kadox would never forget the look of horror that crossed his fathers face and although he did not speak of what he had seen as he flicked through the dead womans imager on the horror was still etched on his face and in his eyes.

“Return to the Indomitable Will” Mortarion ordered, “When we are aboard I am not to be disturbed”

His tone brooked no argument and the Astartes did as their lord and master ordered. Mortarion stopped the Apothecary’s “Take the Gene seed but do not send them to Nocturne. Then have the bodies brought aboard the vessel, we will intern them when we reach a suitable world”

Perplexed but not wanting to anger their father the two Apothecaries did as he ordered. Mortarion glanced at the image that was forever burned into his mind and he felt sick.

The images of Vulkan, Angron, and their father dealing death to their own stared back at him.

 

The Archon wet his lips and with his serpent like tongue flickering across his thin bloodless lips. This Mon-Keigh had a set determination in his eyes that could not be denied.

By his and the other savages dimensions they must be two of the so-called Mon-Keigh Emperors sons. He had met one of them before but he was different. He had come to the Archon of the Cabal of the Blooded Blade.

He had promised him the spoils of human slavery and the honour of killing the warriors that resided here but only if he killed every last one of them and agreed to work alongside the leader of these savages when the time was right.

But now, well now the odds had changed. All of his warriors had been killed and if he were to return to Commonage then he would be ridiculed or worse be forced to fight to stop his cabal from being swallowed by one of the others and as for his fate…well what would be would be.

If that savage even knew what he held in his hand…. or maybe he did, the determined glint in his eyes told him otherwise.

“What makes you think everything you build is impenetrable to others savage, I am Archon Venara of the Blooded Blade there is no building I cannot defeat”

He found it distasteful to even speak their foul language but he managed it although the words sounded harsh on his tongue.

“Now xenos filth” Russ whispered close to the Archons ear “If anyone else had built this bastion I would agree, but this was built by the artisan hands of our brother Perturabo and there is no Bastion ever built by him that has fallen so easily.”

“My brother speaks truth Eldar scum” Khan started to exert pressure on the stone in his hand “How did you destroy this bastion with all the warriors within in two days! Who helped you?”

Venara could handle whatever his home threw at him but if that savage broke that stone then he would not be able to stop what would happen, they might as well kill him now and be done with it.

Because the fate that awaited him should that stone break here in the material world would be one that even he, a master of excess could not withstand and somewhere in his mind he heard the laughter of a Dark Goddess.

What did it matter to him if they all tore each other apart, he cared little for them and what they did to each other, the universe would be a better place without these savages.

“The one called Lion” Venara smirked “He send a man to talk to me and show me the way in here”

Russ roared and before Khan could stop him he grabbed the Dark Eldar by the throat and lifted him up.

“YOU LIE!”

Russ raised him above his head and brought him down with a sickening crunch across his massive knee. Khan heard the crunch of bone as the spine cracked and arched outward.

The stone in Khans hand began to glow as the dying Archons soul moved from his body into the stone. Khan closed his hand over the stone and squeezed, it was the one mistake that he made.

The stone not only splintered in his hand but also sent out an explosion that threw the Primarch off his feet and across the other side of the room, Russ with him. From somewhere around him they heard the scream of the Archon and then the sound of something else.

Something that was neither male nor female seemed to laugh with delight and the Archon screamed in pure terror as his soul was consumed by whatever it was that the older race feared the most.

Khan got to his feet groggily and with a pull helped his brother stand. “He lied” Russ whispered as his brothers Freki and Geki came to his side and licked his hands. “What he said Jaghati was a lie”

Khan shook his head “He had no reason to lie Russ. Xenos he may be but the Eldar have no reason to lie”

Russ scowled “Do you know what you are saying Khan!” he demanded.

“I know exactly what I am saying. There is no other way they could have got in here so quick and judging by the bodies we found they were taken by surprise”

Russ leant back against the wall and met his brothers sad gaze and said nothing, there was nothing he could say.

The silence said it all.


	5. Chapter 5

Trees that had stood for thousands of years fell as the explosives from both sides shattered the once pristine landscape, the forest world of Margolia was no more. For more then six weeks the populace of this world had fought hard against the encroaching rule of the Imperium.

They had not wanted their resources to be swallowed by the ever-hungry machines of the Mechanicum but they had already destroyed thousands of square miles of verdant forest region.

This had just made them despair more and fight harder, no matter how high the casualties were. The Imperial Army of the Santonian Infantry 3rd Division had advanced as their jungle-trained heritage had taught them.

However, as relentless as the armies of this so-called Emperor were they were nothing compared to the black armoured monsters that now entered the fray. Their armour was as black as night with white edges and a white motif on the left shoulder pauldrons.

Mighty jet packs sat against their back so that when they flew they looked like mighty birds of prey. Their gauntlets were sheathed in mighty talons that, when caught in a certain light seemed to ripple with lightning.

The sight of the Imperial Army did nothing for them; they could fight the humans for they were the same as them. The sight of the armoured monsters descending from the skies like gods of old caused every man, Imperial, and enemy alike to almost loose their faculties.

But even they were nothing compared to the giant that came down first.

He was a giant, his skin pale, and his hair a dark black with eyes of coal he glared at the rebels with a cold hard stare that seemed to go right through them. His armour was of the dankest black and what looked like two mighty wings of steel erupted from his jet pack.

If the Armoured warriors with him were gods then this being was beyond even that. Two mighty talons sat on his hands, bigger then even those of his sons and when he spoke it was with the voice of power.

“Do you yield?” was all he said.

His reply was thousands of men suddenly falling to their knees weeping at the sight of such a magnificent if not a little terrifying monster.

But this was not always the case. He battled across the continent fighting against those that did not choose the way of mankind as decreed by his father. The rebels however were not beaten fully and as the Third Company made its way through what was named the Forest of Souls they were attacked by walking trees.

At first Captain Corela of the Third Company could not believe his eyes and he thought that witch craft was behind this especially when three of the walking Oaks plucked six of his men and killed them without a thought.

He ordered his men into action and after several more losses he ordered the heavy weapons squad up and finally managed to cut the walking monstrosities down. He turned to his sergeant and pointed as more of the living trees moved towards the Third Company.

”Get the flamers on them – things.” He snarled.

Without a word Sergeant Deran did as his Captain ordered and all his heavy weapon squad turned their Promethean fire on the trees.

Such was the sound that ushered from the trees that all of the Astartes could only stare in horror, their ears protected from the awful high pitched keening of the dying behemoths before them.

Deran unsheathed his talons “For Corax!” He roared.

His brothers shouted the name of their beloved father and tore through the forest. The Raven Guard did what they did best and what they did made them the fastest of all their brother legions.

 

Corax stood before the shattered palace. Lightning strikes and nighttime raids had distracted the enemy from the main goal of him and his sons. He had entered with First Company and now he stood before what remained of the palace.

It saddened him that the people of this world would rather destroy the beauty then become part of this wonderful empire however, rules were rules, and the Emperors rules were sacrosanct.

He flexed his hands a little and the Talons that gave him his unique weapon seemed to shiver in anticipation of what was to come,

Captains Arendi and Agapito joined his side as he watched the leaders of the world that were on their knees before him they appeared to be like frightened lambs ready for the slaughter.

“All companies report the resistance is coming to an end My Lord” Arendi bowed his head as he addressed his father.

Corax nodded his ascent as Agapito cleared his throat “My Lord, news from the Shadow of the Emperor. The Warmaster is requesting our presence he says it is a matter of urgency.”

Corax said nothing and strode towards the prisoners. He was not like Curze or Angron; he would let them know what their fate was so that they could meet their fate with pure honour.

His Sons watched and listened as he told them that whilst they had fought with honour, they would never find peace in the way of the Emperor, their people would join the Imperium, and it would be a glorious future.

However their rebellious natures meant that there would be no place for them and as they closed their eyes he decapitated them with a sweep of his raven claws.

“Have Commander Ulas of the Santonian and his men oversee the transition I want Captains Kralos and Natuala of the tenth and twelfth to remain here for the moment. Now lets go see what my holier then thou brother wants.”

Arendi and Agapito cast glances at each other, the relationship between Horus and Corax was not known for its warmth, they did not see eye to eye and this was not going to be any different.

 

Odyean was in ruins, the Word Bearers stood like sentinels as the worlds armed force and government were led in chains to the town centre where Lorgar stood in his magnificence with Kor Phaeron and Erebus either side of him and Angal-Tal just behind him.

He watched as the prisoners were kept in neat rows and at the bark of the slave masters, those who had failed the aspirant stage of becoming a Space Marine but were still of use to the Legion were given this new role.

Kor Phaeron glared down at the humans and although they could not see his handsome face, they could feel his eyes boring into them and they cowered under his baleful stare.

Erebus on the other hand smiled a little as if he were some friendly local vicar that was about to take morning tea with them. It was both frightening and soothing, to have both faces of light and dark looking down at them.

However when Lorgar stepped into the dawn light not one of them could hold the gaze of so perfect a being. His gold painted skin shone with a light of its all and his kohl rimmed eyes seemed to make him look like some ancient king from the lands of Pyramids on ancient Terra.

They did not need prodding from neither the slave masters nor the guns of the Astartes; they fell to their knees willingly and bowed their heads, weeping at such a beautiful sight.

Lorgar turned to the shell of the Cathedral that was already being constructed by his own artisans. He was responsible for the universe seeing his father in his proper light but there were some things that needed to be done correctly.

“You are the former rulers, senators and lords and ladies of this world and I must admit that Odyean is a beautiful world. You and your armed forces however, rebelled against the master of mankind and that will not do”

Lorgars voice carried across the town centre as easily as a breeze. Erebus was impressed, as a warrior his father was not as good as some of his brothers, but, as a man of wisdom, well sometimes he eclipsed even the wise Magnus.

Kor Phaeron had his own plans and whilst his surrogate son rode in the glory of the Emperors true awakening he too would make sure that he rode with him, always as the ever-reasoning ear to Lorgars doubts whenever they would arise.

The conceited smirk stopped as he remembered that since the Emperor had returned from the warp, Lorgar had not had any doubts, none whatsoever, he was so lost in his own thoughts of how he might utilise this new position that his son found himself in that he barely noticed that Lorgar had taken to walk before the prostrating prisoners.

To move now would have shown disfavour, yet as he saw Erebus walk alongside him he knew that on some level Lorgar had ignored him. The question on his mind now was why, and his fists clenched in his mighty gauntlets.

Lorgar stood before the prostrate and weeping prisoners. He seemed to be scanning the three thousand that knelt before him. True he had to show that he was still a son of the Emperor, and whilst he was not a born warrior like his brothers who seemed to take to killing and slaying like lions to the kill, he was still a warrior and he could still fight.

But in order to gain this worlds admiration he had to be merciful too. He looked down at them and then to another figure to his left.

“Captain Sangos, attend me a moment”

The Sixth Company Captain moved swiftly to his lords’ side and moved to one knee “Yes Lord?”

“We do not have to kill all of them do we”

It was not a question; Bal Sangos knew that in his heart of hearts the Primarch had already made his mind up, he was just wondering if his Captain was on the same wavelength.

“Some will have to die Lord” He stood at the Primarchs behest “However, if you leave some alive then it would show you are both a man to be feared and a man to be loved.”

Lorgar seemed pleased with that answer and bid his Sixth Captain walk alongside himself and Erebus.

Erebus arched an eyebrow behind his skull-faced helm; well aware of the favour that the Urizen was showing to Sangos and the disfavour he was showing Phaeron. There was something going on here and Erebus no more liked being kept in the dark then anyone else within the favoured Legions inner circles.

“Those of you who have sons who are beginning their adolescence rise” Lorgar clasped his hands behind his back and watched as five hundred men and women stood.

“Your sons will be taken from you and turned into Astartes of the Word, and for that I will honour you with a quick death.”

He turned to the Terminators in First Company and motioned to the standing prisoners. With clean precise shots they were executed. Those still kneeling flinched as blood and brain matter fell onto their ripped and torn clothes.

Some of those still kneeling soiled themselves and a new smell entered the air, fear and Lorgar liked that smell.

He walked along the front row, resting his hand every so often on the head of a young woman and then bid them to stand.

“You have daughters?” he asked. “Who are of a young age?” they nodded wondering what fate lay in store for their children.

He turned to Erebus “Release these women to return to their daughters, once the cathedral is built they will return to the temple with their daughters to work within the temple as handmaidens to the gods, the daughters will be taught to be warriors of the Emperor in their own right”

“By your command My Lord” Erebus bowed low and released the fifty women then ushered them away.

Lorgar knew that Erebus would remember their faces and would know if they did not return.

He moved along the third and forth rows picking out two hundred men and women and handed them over to the Colchisan III shock troopers and told the General, a man by the name of Hasana Kal to re train them in the way of Colchis.

The rest of the prisoners looked hopeful for a moment. Lorgar then picked a thousand at random being careful not to pick the leaders of this world just the average worker or soldier.

He had them taken away to be put aboard the vessels of the Word Bearers to serve in the human crews. He was left with the remainder and tapped his lower jaw. Five hundred and fifty people were taken away to begin building the Church to the Emperor and those that were left started to look worried.

Bal Sangos smiled beneath his helm, his master had shown them that he could offer the dead parents honour by allowing their sons to serve in the mighty Legion of the Word. He had shown mercy to young mothers by offering them life in the new regime and their daughters’ honour in a way he was not yet sure off.

He had allowed the warriors of this world to regain their honour by serving him as part of the ever-growing Imperial Army and now he had shown five hundred and fifty people that he would put them to work as punishment but they may yet be allowed to live.

Lorgar told the First Company Astartes to get the remainder to their feet. The rulers of the world, the advisors, and the generals.

He walked along them like a lion, ready and waiting to attack its prey and none of them could look upon so perfect a being without their sensibilities leaving them. Sangos did not blame them for that.

It was hard enough for humans to look upon Astartes and hard for Astartes to look upon the Primarchs without feeling the same sense of love and honour. Right now his father was doing what he did best…making them fear him and love him in the same regard.

“You have all shown yourselves to be incapable of change, incapable of accepting the Emperor as the rightful ruler of Mankind. Now I know that this world has been separated from Holy Terra for many a millennium and yet most worlds have embraced Illumination but not you.

I have to ask myself if I leave you alive to return to your old positions would you not rebel or would you look for the first chance you get to rebel against he who is a god. Not just any god but a god amongst gods.”

Lorgar fell silent for a moment and with a slight alteration to his voice he conveyed sorrow at what he was about to do. Bal Sangos had never heard any Primarch express sorrow before unless it was for the death of an Astartes or a favoured human serf.

“The answer regrettably is no. I do not believe you will align yourself with him-on-Terra or any of his new directions therefore it is with a heavy heart that I will have you executed. You will however serve him in death even if you could not in life.”

He turned to Bal Sangos and motioned him over.

“My Lord?”

“Take them to the holding chamber, then when Erebus is ready for them have them sacrificed to the gods and my father. Tell Erebus that their blood is to be the join that builds my fathers temple”

“As you command my Lord”

Lorgar nodded and waved his massive Crozius as a signal to take them away. Only when the humans were gone did Kor Phaeron join his side.

“It would seem you and I have much to discuss my son,” he rumbled.

“Yes Kor Phaeron, we do, I will meet you my stratagem in three hours, I need to speak with the architects first.”

Kor Phaeron was about to say something when he was struck almost dumb. For the first time since he had known Lorgar, he did not call him father.


	6. Chapter 6

The Praetorian strode the Palace walls all who saw him lowered their gaze and continued with their work, it would not do to stare too long at the father of the Imperial Fists or Black Templars.

There were subtle differences to his armour. It was still the beautifully wrought gold armour but the symbol on his clasp was the most significant tell tale sign that he was changing.

The cloak clasp was an eight-pointed star, chaos undivided. He gave his fealty to his father first then the other gods second. He paused as his Black Templars went through their drills with Sigismund leading them.

Dorn allowed himself a tight smile; there was no better master for them then him. He had chosen wisely. When his brothers had all been illuminated then the Black Templars would continue the Great Crusade but those worlds that would not come under the Emperors yoke and accept him as their god would be punished.

That would be the Black Templars role, an Inquisitorial Astartes force and Dorn was proud that he had been the one to create them. His father would need a force to root out the heretics and the non-believers.

He continued his walk and clasped his hands behind his back. Vulkan had returned to Nocturne to ensure that his sons and people accepted the new regime. Once upon a time word that his own brother had killed his sons that would not follow him would have disgusted him but now it had been the most logical course of action.

“Brother”

He turned at the deep voice to see Curze behind him. There was still a tension in the air between the two of them but it had eased a little, not a lot but enough to allow them to converse with each other.

“Brother” Dorn inclined his head “What troubles you?”

Curze seemed a little hesitant at first but eventually he stood to join Dorns side and those looking briefly upon the two sons of the Emperor thought they would never see such a sight for it was documented that the Praetorian and Night Haunter were not the best of friends.

“I will not bow down to demons” Curze emphatically said, “I do what I do because it is fathers will and the cosmos needs order. I do not accept the likes of demons or their servants or masters”

Rogal Dorn nodded and shrugged a little “I agree with you Konrad”

Curze arched an eyebrow, he never thought Dorn would agree with him let alone call him Konrad.

“You do? I took this to Lorgar before he left and he told me my path would become clear to me, I do not see my path except the one that leads to death” Curze’s voice trailed a little “Always to my death”

Dorn had no idea how that felt like. As a nigh on immortal warrior of an immortal being he had never thought about what would happen if he died. He took the death of each fallen Fist personally like all his brothers, but to know the appointed hour of his own death was something that was totally alien to him.

Curze leant on the paraphit, his mighty talons opening and closing as he struggled to contain the injustice he felt.

“As a youth I often wondered on days that I was not planning how to kill the next murdering scum on Nostramo what my father and mother must have been like.” Curze gave a sardonic smile “but of course we have no mother, we were grown in a vat like test tube babies of old each of us infused with some of our fathers DNA to make us more then normal men.

One day, I told myself, one day my parents would come for me but when our father came for me I was already plagued by visions that I had no answer to about those that I did not know.

Now after decades of trying to convince my father that the cosmos needs us to keep order and justice he agrees, he is certainly changed. Not so long ago he was wanting my legions collective head”

Dorn nodded, that was true, the Night Lords excesses had sickened even their father, but the attack on Dorn himself had been the last straw.

“That was in the past Konrad” Dorn rested a tentative hand on his shoulder and to his surprise Curze did not shrug it off, he flinched a little, not used to such close contact with another being but he did not shrug it off “Perhaps your dreams will change for the better”

“And if they do not?” Curze asked, “If they remain the same what do I do?”

“Change it yourself. Destiny is not set in stone brother, destiny is what we make it and what we alone make it, do not follow gods if that is not what you wish for your sons, just trust in fathers vision and you will be his justice”

“Now you are sounding like the Urillean” Curze chuckled and it sounded like a grating board.

“Sometimes he makes sense” Dorn gave a half smile “So where are you off too next?”

 

Kor Phaeron entered the stratagem of his lord and marvelled at the change that had come over it. Banners each depicting the great powers of the warp hung from the ceiling in rows that denoted their presence in the warp.

His stratagem was bathed in a holy glow, candles all around him, and each alcove in his chapel like command centre had a depiction of those same powers. A serpent for Tzeench, an armoured figure on a throne of skulls for Khorne, a great bloated plague-ridden monster for Nurgle and a half male, half female for Slaanesh.

Each given a honourable place and each with candles around them so that they had a place of their own to be holy communed with. But it was nothing compared to what hung over his lords seat.

Pride of place was the double headed eagle that belonged to the Emperor and carved from solid gold, unlike the other Word Bearers who could count the master of mankind as a surrogate grandfather, Kor Phaeron and indeed others like him, humans who were merely augmented as they were too old to become fully fledged Astartes could claim no such link and a tinge of paternal jealousy worked its way through the enhanced human.

As he looked upon his surrogate son now, he wondered if he could even call Lorgar that anymore. He moved to one knee slowly and bowed his head. Surrogate father or not, he still had to observe protocol. Lorgar had his back to the First Captain, his gaze transfixed on the stars outside the viewing portal.

All this was his father’s rightful kingdom and as a god he deserved such accolades. There were those of his brothers that thought him nothing but a fancy speaker and not much else.

But, like the Ultramarines, the Word Bearers too had their success’s and in truth they had more so for all their worlds were loyal to the Imperium. It was a record that Lorgar was proud off and he could count on all his sons, every single one of them to remain steadfast in their loyalties.

He did not doubt that there were those who expressed disquiet about it but when news had filtered through with the fate of the World Eaters and Salamanders who had not wished to remain loyal to the Emperor; well that forestalled any such leanings of betrayal.

He closed his kohl-rimmed eyes and seemed to bask in the glow of the universe, how long had he wanted this? His Lectio Divinatius was already coming true and, when the Crusade to re-join all the worlds of man was over a new holy jihad would start to unite them under a faith so strong that no xenos would be able to defeat its power.

He drew in a long sigh and turned his head slightly to see Kor Phaeron kneeling before him. He walked round the desk and rested a hand on his First Captains shoulder bidding him to rise.

“It distresses me to feel that your are not altogether happy with this turn of events Kor Phaeron” Lorgar poured himself some wine and then poured one for his surrogate father.

“I just do not want the achievement to be taken away from you my son” Kor Phaeron replied evenly, “if I may speak candidly…”

“Always” Lorgars smile stayed on his lips as he handed Kor Phaeron the goblet but his eyes were not smiling and the First Captain did not fail to notice that.

“Once upon a time the Emperor…”

“Beloved by all” Lorgar intoned.

“Beloved by all” Kor Phaeron repeated with reluctance “punished us for our beliefs, he had the Ultramarines wipe an entire world from history, can you be certain that he will not take away the work that you have put into this and claim it as his own?”

“You think he would?” Lorgar sipped some wine and looked into the red liquid.

As Kor Phaeron glanced into the goblet he could not be certain that it was wine he was about to drink. It was too thick to be wine, way too thick.

“I would not put anything past a man that sacrifices two of his sons to the Wolves and.”

“Enough!” Lorgar roared suddenly with enough fury that even Kor Phaeron flinched visibly. “That is my father you are condemning Kor Phaeron, my father and your master! Choose your words more carefully”

Kor Phaeron however was not to be cowed. He had not aided in an entire planet wide civil war to bring Colchis from under the yoke of the Covenant for Lorgar to cowl him over a man he personally believed was not fit enough to wipe his sons shoes or hold sway over the true gods of the warp.

“Lorgar, you have been like a son to me, I have taught you the very ethics and beliefs that you so righteously and firmly believe, there is not better avatar for the gods of the warp then you.

I do not want to see the Emperor take away everything that you have strived so tirelessly over the last few decades.” Kor Phaeron moved towards the Primarch who watched him move like a Lion watching a rival come to take his Pride from him.

“Now why do you suppose he would do that Kor?” Lorgar asked lightly “Or is it that you feel my relationship with you is slipping away? That perhaps you feel as if you are loosing your surrogate son…. and your ride to power?”

He raised his hand to forestall any of the objections that he knew would come from the old mans mouth.

“I made you what you are. Of my brothers only the Lion and myself have our adoptive fathers still serving with us, the difference between the Lion and myself is that whereas Luther is still an enhanced human he trains new recruits and is in effect the Castilian of Caliban, you are a First Captain.

You are that which is normally deigned for an Astartes, the First Captain, the confidant of the Primarch, you are my Gabriel Santor, My Julius Karesoian, my – dare I say it – Ezekiel Abaddon.

I have made you into something that not even Luther could attain and this is how you repay me? By questioning my fathers’ words? By trying to get me to see that he is gong to betray me in some underhanded way by setting the wolves on me perhaps?”

“I doubt it would be Russ” Kor Phaeron snarled “More like Angron”

“Silence!” Lorgar roared and for the first time ever the First Captain realised he had underestimated his son, fully underestimated him. “You dare to critique my father when you have been riding on the coat wings of my destiny to gleam some glory for yourself, some power for yourself so that you could rise to other more prominent positions within the chess board.”

“I seek to look out for you and what is your glory, not mine”

“You are not a very good liar Kor” Lorgar set his goblet down and went back to the viewing port and watched the stars.

The tension between them both was totally simmering with anger. Kor Phaeron as he began too realise that there might not be a place in the new order for him and Lorgar at the thought that a man he had seen as his father, who had raised him could not trust his judgement.

He scowled as he began to piece together thoughts that had always eluded him, like tendrils of a larger revelation that had escaped his attention before now It was no secret that he was not seen in the same warrior light as his more aggressive brothers.

His wisdom was not in question but his fighting prowess had always been a joke to his more violent brothers like Angron, Curze, or Russ. In fact there was more then one occasion that Leman had called for his head and those of his sons when their staunch beliefs had got in his own face.

However had he not calmed the Wolf King and the Crimson Kings Choler’s, prevented them from ripping each other’s throats out? He nodded to himself, yes he had, but there was something that was not quite…

He turned from the window and looked at his surrogate father “You have never believed in me…have you?”

“What?” Kor Phaeron was wrong footed. He had not expected Lorgar to come out with that statement let alone work it all out “Urizen I have always believed in you”

“No you haven’t, you do not believe in my skills as a warrior, or a diplomat, only that I follow your paper chase. This is not Colchis anymore Phaeron, I am the son of the Emperor, not some naïve foundling that you took under your wing and – manipulated to get what you want”

“Lord I –“

“You have heard my confessions and my pains” Lorgar cut him off roughly “and not once did you believe I would make it this far, always one with a contingency plan aren’t you?”

He picked his Crozius up and stroked the haft. Kor Phaeron could see the blood that had sat upon the Crozius dry. Lorgar had killed the first sacrifice to the gods and his father, the rest had been Erebus, but Lorgar took the first.

The Primarch narrowed his eyes and psychic energy, latent power that had been within Lorgar all along, just he had been afraid of it, having seen what it had done to Curze and Magnus, danced around his eyes like sparks of lightening,

“My star is in the ascendance and I am fathers voice, not you” He raised his Crozius “I was warned what would happen if I elevated an enhanced human to the position of First Captain over an Astartes I told them they were wrong, but it was me that was wrong and now…now I am going to rectify that”

Kor Phaeron blinked momentarily before the Crozius came crashing onto his skull.

“The non-believer shall be swept away in the storm of righteousness for his sins” Lorgar chanted as he caved his surrogate fathers skull in with the Crozius that Ferrus had made him “There can be only one path to tread and the warrior and holy man must tread as one, the weak will fall to be forgotten”

He stepped back breathing harshly as Kor Phaeron breath came in its death throws and his eyes began to glaze. The last thing he ever saw was Lorgar standing over him and the Crozius falling towards him.

“I have had enough of you” Lorgar seethed and Kor Phaeron died under the onslaught. Lorgar closed his eyes “I have proved my loyalty to you father, you warned me this day would come and I have cleansed the rot in my legion.”

He sat on his command throne as the doors opened and Captains Sangos, Angal-Tal, and Erebus stared at the mess that was Kor Phaeron.

“You have something to say on the matter?” he asked. His voice so different from what they had been used too, full of faith and certainty more now then ever.

“No lord” They replied as one.

“Bal Sangos, you have shown such an understanding of the changes and Erebus said that you ordered all your chaplains to listen to him on pain of death”

“I did lord” Sangos kept his gaze to the floor

“Then rise my son go name your successor for you are now my First Captain” Lorgar kept a poker face at the three men’s expressions “Unless there is a reason you cannot accept your post?”

“You honour me lord…but surely there are those more worthy then I…. like Angal-Tal here”

“If there were they would be here now and not you” Lorgar got up and rested a blooded hand on Sangos Shoulder “Tal recommended you when I spoke to him earlier now do as I ask then you can swear your oaths and we can get under way”

Lorgar did not fail to notice the murderous look that Erebus shot his former pupil and turned his face so they could not see his amusement. This was how it was going to be. They would listen to him and him alone not Erebus or Kor Phaeron. Well not anymore on the latter.

He was the Primarch no one else and by the gods and the divine blood of his father they were going to do as he said or he would kill them all in the name of what was right.


	7. Chapter 7

The Pride of Caliban roamed the vast sea without it seemed a care in the world, it was heading for a rendezvous’ with the Emperors Children vessel Heart of Chemos and from there they would take the Emperors law further into the cosmos all the while avoiding any disclosure of the new mission parameters.

Captain Angelus watched the smooth running of his vessel with the eye of a practised veteran. His hooded face hid his emotions from the human crew of the vessel; there was no need for them to see what their master thought. He heard the doors behind him open and without turning knew that the Reclusiarch himself had come to the bridge.

“Brother Captain” the deep Calibanite echo of Reclusiarch Bedano greeted.

Angelus nodded but did not reply, he was too busy concentrating on the screen ahead, they would translate out of the warp soon, and he was to be prepared for anything. It was no secret that the Emperor was not happy with the First Legions beloved father at the moment.

The Emperor had wanted Perturabo alongside his plans. To have both siege masters by his side would have made him nigh on unstoppable, but it was not to be and any missive sent to the Lord of Olympia was ignored.

They had been warned to be wary of any Iron Warriors vessels that they come across, the bad blood between the brothers was not yet healed for reasons that Angelus could not fathom. Still the captain of the 83rd Company had his orders and these days’ disobeying the Lions orders was not the done thing. He had seen what had happened to those that did and as much as he loved his home world he had no wish to return there to rot in the tower for however long it pleased the Lion to leave him there.

++ Whom are we meeting Jaffara? ++ The Reclusiarch switched to a private channel between himself and the Captain so that the mortal crew could not hear their words.

++ We are to rendezvous with the Heart of Chemos. From there we are to take the world of Ostriga, according to our father it is a world of strategic importance to the Emperor, the Mechanicum have a Titan Forge there and he wants it. ++

The Reclusiarch was silent for a moment then said ++ Is that not Medasa’s vessel? ++

++ Your memory serves you well old friend. Yes it is Medasa’s vessel and he is warring alongside us once more. The Dark Angels alongside the Emperors Children, the First alongside those cousins allowed to be the only ones to bear the Aquila, what more stories is there for the Bards to sing about over their wines? ++

Bedano chuckled but it was without mirth and Angelus knew this, the Reclusiarch was not a big fan of those who sought to perfect themselves more then the Emperor, for there could be no more perfect a being then the master of mankind.

To think anything else was, well it was blaspheming of the highest order. Like Angelus, Bedano was not certain that he wanted to the Emperor as a god, let that be for the mortals that toiled under his watchful gaze that was not the ways of the Astartes.

He was however careful to mask his thoughts, as was Bedano at the moment it would not do any god voicing such doubts; the Emperors ascension was a closely guarded secret until he had all of his sons and grandsons on his side. Somehow Angelus did not believe this was going to happen.

Bedano altered his stance a little and there as no need for a moral officer on the bridge, for the imposing all black skull faced keeper of the soul was enough to have any mortal or indeed Astartes quake a little in their boots. It was his duty to ensure that the Astartes spirits did not wax or wane, and he took their doubts and turned it into such fiery passion that the sons of the Lion had to question why they had doubts in the first place.

++ Are the men ready? ++ Angelus finally asked.

++ They have been ready since before you set foot on here this morning Brother Captain ++ Bedano inclined his head, the only indication to the bridge crew that anything was being said between the demi-gods in their midst’s.

++ Then let us hope that the preparations will not be as it was the last time we fought alongside the Emperors Children ++

++ It will not be ++

Angelus turned a little as the Reclusiarch made his way off the bridge, under his hood he scowled a little at his old friends certainty. He put it to the back of his mind as his vessel prepared to come back into real space but the nagging feeling that something bad was going to happen stayed with him and did not leave.

 

Horus stood watching out of his viewing window, his hands clasped firmly behind his back and, although his face was turned away from them, all of the Mournival and his Equerry could see that the events that had reached his ears was taking its toll on the first amongst Primarchs.

He had no idea who would arrive here and even though Magnus stood with them, Horus felt alone more then he had ever felt alone in his entire life. He was still reeling from the news of Dorns destruction of a world of the Imperium he did not want to believe that one of his closest brothers could do such a thing, and yet Loken and Abaddon had brought the proof back with them.

He kept his gaze fixed on what he believed was the translation point for his brothers and waited to see who was going to arrive.

It took another hour but the first vessel arrived, The Great Khan slowed its speed as it came through from the Warp into real space and she was a beauty of a vessel, Loken could not believe how sleek she was, she was not as big as some vessels he had seen but then this would fit in with the White Scars and their speed nature.

He turned as the face of the Great Khan himself appeared on the screen and bowing his head he touched his forehead then his chin.

“Greeting brother Horus” The Khan folded his arms across his powerful chest “It has been too long.”

“It is good to see you Jaghati, please come across at your leisure.” Horus turned to Torgaddon “Meet my brother and take him to my Stratagem”

“Yes My Lord” Tarik bowed and left quickly.

The Mournival were to meet with the arriving Primarch with six of their own companies’ brothers as an honour guard. The only thing being was that which of them would escort the Wolf King when he arrived, seeing as Magnus was sitting in the Stratagem awaiting his brothers arrival and it was a known fact that the two did not see eye to eye.

The Wolf King did not like the Crimson Kings level of Sorcery or how he used it, but then as Magnus would say, “we are all products of our father and therefore my views and opinions are as valid as yours.” Not even Russ would disagree with that, but it had been decided that Horus himself would take the Wolf King down if it came to it; he would put them in their place.

This was his vessel and he was not going to have his two brothers fighting in it. If there was any fighting to be done let it be at those that deserved it, not just because there was a difference of ideology.

Now was neither the time nor the place for it, if rumours were to be believed, more then ever they needed to be strong. The Mournival were more then a little relieved, more so when Horus asked the Justerian to remain as his honour guard when the Wolf King arrived.

Next came The Alpha, the flagship of the Alpha Legion. A helmed warrior appeared n the viewing screen and bowed his head “We are Alpharius” He intoned, “we are here to serve the Imperium”

Horus arched an eyebrow “Please brother, make your way to the Vengeful Spirit”  
Alpharius nodded and vanished from view. Little Horus shook his head a little and wondered why he had drawn the Alpha Legion…. after all they were the most secretive of all the Legions and at the end of the day he liked to know who and what he was dealing with.

Not something that was based on subterfuge or pretense and the Alpha Legion were notorious for it. He had his orders, but that did not mean he did not like it.

Horus watched his name sake leave the command room and sniggered a little “Poor Little Horus” He grinned at Abaddon and Loken “He never did like Spies”

“Like them or not my lord” Abaddon rumbled, “It is what they do best”

“Let us hope they see it that way Ezekiel” Horus agreed.

 

Torgaddon walked along the line of his honour guard, six of the best of his company and they were all spit and shine. He was proud of Third Company, they had stood by him even when he had been elevated to the lofty heights of the Mournival and their reputation was intact.

He glanced at his Sergeant and waited for him to join his side “Marka” he whispered, “I do not mind telling you I am shitting myself”

“How will our father know who is in this madness that he has heard about or not?” Marka a young Chthonian, who had joined up the same time as Tarik, did not beat about the bush and got straight to the point of the matter.

Tarik arched an eyebrow “Who said there was any madness?”

“I cannot say” Marka mysteriously said immediately putting Torgaddon on guard “but there are rumours Captain, rumours of unrest and what Captains Loken, Abaddon and Ahriman found on that world”

“If you know what is good for you my friend, you will quash those rumours and do not let the Warmaster hear you speak of them” Torgaddon was not joking and Marka bowed his head quickly “Now be ready, the Khan is due aboard.”

Sure enough no sooner had he uttered the words then a Stormbird came gracefully through the hanger doors. Tarik barked at his men to come to attention and as soon as the door to the Stormbird opened and the Ramp lowered he and his honour guard moved to one knee.

Tarik did not know how long he was kneeling for but when he was commanded to rise he did so with his heart in his mouth. He had never met the Khan in person although he had head much about the enigmatic desert son.

His dark hair sat in a topknot that seemed to crest his head like the curve of a planet. His armour was the colour of sand and his eyes seemed to speak more then what he knew.

The Sand Warrior, The Great Khan himself, and an expert at speed tactics, there were none who could ride a bike like the Khan, and there was none who could attack at speed like he or his sons.

In Torgaddons view even Corax was hard pressed to beat the Khan when it came to lightning raids and bike attacks.

“My father greets you through me My Lord and asks that I take you to the stratagem where My Lord Magnus is waiting”

Jughati nodded and walked alongside the Lunar Wolf. The Honour Guard fell in alongside the Primarchs bodyguard and walked behind the Primarch and the Mournival Captain.

“He apologises for not greeting you personally My Lord….”

Jughati raised his hand to ward off any other comments “Horus has much to prepare” he cast a sideways glance at the Third Captain “I am not going to get my moustache in a twist over it, besides to be greeted by a Captain of the Mournival itself, well that is as good as Horus in my opinion”

Tariks chest swelled with pride “You do me honour my lord”

“If Magnus is here, who is going to meet the Wolf King?”

“My Lord says it will be his job Lord”

Jughati nodded “Wise, very wise indeed although I believe that Russ will be respectful.”

Tarik nodded but did not answer for in truth he did not know what to answer, although he did not really believe that there would not be some snipping between the two men.

 

Little Horus Aximand based the second Hanger like a caged lion. He cursed this lotto draw and then when he had finished cursing it some more he started all over again. His Sergeant, Neckara glanced sideways at him wondering if his Captain had finally got a touch of Space Warp.

Horus looked up and shook his head to ward off his Sergeants concerned expression. “I always get nervous when the Alpha Legion are about” he offered as way of an explanation.

But that was not the truth of the matter – well not entirely – since word had gone through the vessel of what Ezekiel, Garvi and Ahzek found on Venus IX it had been harder to keep a lid on it.

Little Horus was also concerned with news that Mars was under the joint operations of the Iron Hands. They were still getting their weapons, ammo and armour but he had never known any Astartes – even those like the Iron Hands that had close ties with the cult of Mars anyway – interfering in the Martian endeavours.

The Princeps of the Des Irae was most…. anxious when he heard that his masters on Mars were working hand in hand alongside the Iron Hands and even Horus had arched an eyebrow at that one.

Now he was to greet The Specialist himself and he was not altogether happy about it. He did not like the way they always said “We are Alpharius” and he certainly did not like how they answered a question with even more questions.

He straightened as the Stormbird came in and the passengers disembarked. Despite his dislike for the Alpha Legion he moved to one knee. After all he was in the presence of a Primarch and despite being seen as an uncouth barbarian by some Legions, he still showed respect.

Especially to one of his fathers brothers and it didn’t matter who it was, a Primarch was a Primarch, a genetic copy of the Emperor and that made them worthy of respect, even if you didn’t like them or their sons MO.

“Thank you Little Horus” Alpharius quietly spoke “Honour is done, now nephew if you would like to take me to your fathers war room”

Little Horus got up and then looked up and up into the poker features of Alpharius. He looked a little like Horus except he had no hair. He was bald and a line of stubble played around his chin.

Little Horus was not too sure but he could have sworn that The Specialist was exhausted. If that was the case then something else had gone on that they did not know about, Primarchs did not get exhausted.

Beside him stood Ingio Petch his First Captain and Omeagon, one of his other high ranked Captain.

“This way my lord, my lord Horus apologises for not meeting you personally but he is still gathering what information he can so that when he starts this meeting he can do so with facts to hand”

“As is the way of a mind like Horus” Omeagon inclined his head “Your father does not like to leave any stone unturned”

“No Omeagon, he certainly does not” Little Horus agreed and led the Alpha Legion away.

 

The Pride of Caliban left the warp with a scream of arrival, the flickers of the Empyrean flickered off its sides, and the Dark Angels vessel creaked as its decks settled back into real space.

She slowed as she saw the vessel that was waiting for her, but something was wrong. The Heart of Chemos was not answering The Pride of Calibans hails, and as she drew closer she saw that the deck lights were flickering.

Angelus leant on his command throne and cocked his head to one side as he told the vox officer to keep trying the commander of the vessel, in the mean time he ordered the Reclusiarch and Squad Medorac to meet him in the Hanger bay along with Squads Pertitious and Larreon.

Shortly three Stormbirds made their way across to the Heart of Chemos.

 

The black armoured Astartes of the Dark Angels disembarked from their vessel and looked around them in horror at what they saw. Bodies lay cut to pieces on the decks and as Sergeant Medorac peered at the walls he called his Captain over and showed him.

“Bolter fire Captain” he explained, “The Emperors Children were firing at something”

Angelus made a murmur of agreement under his breath and kicked the body of a dead crewmember at his feet. The body rolled over and the expression on the mans face was one of – what did humans call it? Pleasure?

His brothers all reported the same and the Reclusiarch joined his Captains side. “This is highly irregular Captain it is as if they wanted to die”

Angelus said nothing and ordered his men to follow him out. Their goal was the bridge and to see if anything was amiss up there. As of yet there were no Astartes so with any luck it would be a rebellion.

He had been warned that this could happen, that some of the human crew might not accept the new regime and he hoped that the Emperors Children had dealt with their turncoat crew…. if not then the First Legion would pick the pieces up.

“Reclusiarch, take Squad Pertitious and go to the engineering level and crew decks.” Angelus ordered “See if this has spread down to there, it would explain why she is dead in the water if the crew have rebelled.”

“Yes Captain”

The Reclusiarch and his squad peeled off leaving the Captain and the remaining two squads to head towards the bridge.


	8. Chapter 8

Horus turned as Torgaddon and Aximand returned bowing their heads, they rejoined their brothers, and to Abaddon it looked like Aximand was quite un-nerved about something.

++ Something bothering you Little Horus? ++ He asked across the Mournival private channel.

++ Do you remember me saying once that the Alpha Legion freaked me out, as I could never trust their motives? ++

++ You said that their skill at subterfuge was to be admired but the fact that you never knew where their end game played was unnerving ++ Loken reminded them ++ Why? ++

++ Have any of you ever noticed that Omeagon and Alpharius are the same height? ++

++ He is just an exceptionally tall Astartes ++ Torgaddon shrugged ++ has been known, rare as it is its been known ++

Aximand shook his head ++ Not like that ++ He scowled beneath his helmet ++ I do not trust them ++

The other three Mournival brothers glanced at each other, Aximands melancholia was known even this was too far for him. Abaddon removed his helm and tucked it under his arm; as if it was a hidden signal the others did as the esteemed first captain.

“Ezekiel” Horus quietly spoke as the next vessel arrived in line with the Great Khan and the Alpha. “Perhaps you would like to greet Perturabo for me”

Abaddon bowed his head and left the chamber. Tarik turned to his brothers and ran a hand through his close-cropped hair “I did not think Perturabo would answer the call”

“Why not?” Horus asked

“I mean no disrespect Lord,” Tarik inclined his head “But like Lord Curze and Angron, Perturabo is not the social sort really, none of the Iron Warriors are.”

“I do not blame them for that” Loken mused “being stuck in wars of Attrition is not good for morale, no wonder they are a little moody”

Horus joined his remaining favoured sons and sat down motioning for them to join him. He looked at the ring that his father had given him of the dreadful Sagittarius and was silent for a moment.

“A lot of Perturabos achievements have been over shadowed by Rogal, They could have been twins for they think alike and they are similar in strategies, I always said the greatest war of attrition would be the Iron Warriors laying siege to one of the Imperial Fists Bastions.

I was joking at the time but now…. now I am not so sure my sons. Each of the Primarchs that are gathering here have had a run in with something they cannot explain or have had a reasonable explanation and, loathe as I am to admit it I believe that there is now truth in what Magnus has said.”

“My Lord Magnus is not given to fanciful flights Sir” Loken respectfully spoke

Horus smirked dryly “In that Garvi you are correct, as much as his psychic power awes me for there is only one man greater then Magnus, his wisdom knows no bounds and he is a learned man.

Perhaps more then any of us Magnus values the knowledge of the worlds he brings into compliance. I know that Russ and others, myself included in that find it strange that the Thousand Sons are more knowledge then war but then if it were not for the vast amount of knowledge that the Thousand Sons have accumulated our own scholars would not know what they know now about worlds that have been illuminated.

When it comes to the power of the warp then I have to listen to Magnus but since Nikea he has taken a risk even travelling here the way he did, I should really have him in chains and send him back to Terra but I won’t.

Magnus is loathe to break fathers laws as much as I am but he did it for a reason and if it means gathering my brothers to listen to him then I owe him that much.” Horus picked his wine goblet up “and the Wolf will listen even if he does not want to, By the throne he is harder to contain then Angron and Curze sometimes” Horus sighed.

“Or us” Tarik mused which got a chuckle all round,

“That is true my son” Horus smiled and when he smiled his sons smiled with him “for we are the Lunar Wolves and we are the strongest Legion”

“Lupercal” they chorused.

Horus nodded and returned his gaze to his viewing port.

 

The Olympian moved into Anchor above The Great Khan and the Stormbird left its hull. Abaddon watched as it came across the distance between its mother ship and the Vengeful Spirit. He had six of his Terminators with him, the Justerian were Horus’s honour guard and he had chosen from Squad Tempus.

He moved to one knee, as did the rest of his guard as the Stormbird came into land and the ramp lowered to allow Perturabo and his First Captain down the ramp.

“My Lord Perturabo, welcome aboard the Vengeful Spirit, My Lord apologises for being unable to meet you personally but he will meet you in the great chamber shortly.” Abaddon kept his gaze to the floor.

He had gazed upon The Comrade once before and it had almost took his breath away. His dark hair and olive skin were so perfect that, like all his brothers human women would swoon over them.

But unlike his brothers Perturabo never smiled. In fact Abaddon could not recall ever seeing the Lord of Olympia smile once.

“Thank you Ezekiel” The deep voice of Perturabo responded “Rise First Captain and tell me who else is here.”

Abaddon nodded at the Terminators of Squad Tempus who fell into step behind Perturabo and Forrix.

“Lords Alpharius and Khan have not long since arrived sire, and Lord Magnus is here and has been for several weeks.” Abaddon explained.

Perturabo arched a slight eyebrow at the mention of the Crimson King but he said nothing on the matter. He liked Abaddon so he did not perceive Horus’s absence as an insult, The Lunar Wolves First Captain had a reputation to be proud off and it was earnt in the crucible of war.

Of course there were those who believed that he was Horus’s gene son from a time before the Emperor but that was impossible, like all Space Marines, Abaddon worshipped his Primarch and that was nothing to scoff at.

Honour was satisfied and now he was going to see what else had happened.

“Tell me Ezekiel” Perturabo asked “Why Loken?”

“Why Loken what Lord?”

“In the Mournival…. he is not a true son of Horus is he?”

Abaddon smirked a little “he is a warrior without peer…and he beat me to the punch”

Forrix laughed and even Perturabo nodded in amusement “You beaten to the punch…. I have to meet this pup” Forrix clapped Abaddon on the shoulder “and it’s your round Ezekiel” 

 

Angelus and his men made their way slowly towards the bridge. Checking every quarter they came past to see crewmembers slumped in varying states of death. They had all seen the horrors war could inflict on mortal bodies, indeed when they were mortal themselves, they each recalled how the horrors of Caliban could inflict some serious pain and decapitation on the human body.

This however was almost…well surreal if Angelus was honest. He gripped his bolter tighter and stared down at the body of a ships rating. He was in a state of undress and his back looked like he had been scratched by a woman in the throws of passion but no woman that Angelus had known ever left scratches so deep the muscle and bone shone through.

The Heart of Chemos was like a grave and the nearer they got to the bridge the more the lights started dimming. Unease settled across them all and it was not a feeling that they were used too, not one that was normally associated with Astartes, especially Astartes of the First Legion.

Angelus found himself muttering a benediction to the Emperor and the Lion, something he did not feel he would ever do but here and now in this mausoleum of a vessel he did just that.

++ Captain Angelus, there was some sort of explosion down here ++ Reclusiarch Bedano’s voice came across his private vox.

++ Casualties? ++ Angelus demanded.

++ Plenty Brother, there are bodies floating in space and the Geller Field is broken, Brother if they were in the Warp when this happened… ++ Bedano’s voice trailed off.

He had no need to explain any further, everyone from the lowliest rating to the highly respected and feared Navigators, even the unflappable Astartes knew that there were things in the Warp that defied the laws of evolution.

Entities that made it their home and to have a hull breach in the middle of the Warp was a catastrophe beyond words.

++ Are there any Emperors Children there? ++ Angelus wanted to know.

Bedano was silent for a moment then slowly answered ++ No Brother, but, judging by the state of the bodies they were shot by Astartes weapon and the bodies look as if they were welcoming it ++

++ If they were possessed by the creatures of the warp then I can see why ++ Angelus sighed ++Meet me on the bridge we are about to make our way through to it now ++

Bedano acknowledged the order and then stood staring at the bodies for a moment or two. He was responsible for the spiritual fortitude of his battle brothers, a Chaplain by another name and yet – whilst he would follow his father on whatever course he chose for the Legion, this sat ill with him.

A lot of what they did now made him proud to be a Dark Angel, taking the worlds of man back from the non-believer, the heretic and the xenos scum that would defer the rule of the Emperor and who would not see him as Humanities rightful god…. but this, this was something else entirely.

He motioned with his Crozius and the Astartes went to leave only to be confronted by re-animated corpses behind a behemoth of an Astartes. Bedano cocked his head to one side as his sigils flashed over the Emperors Child Astartes.

It registered him, as Brother Calinianous and right now he did not look very friendly at all.

++ Cousin, it is I Bedano of the First Legion Astartes the Dark Angels…. what has gone on here? And what are those monstrosities behind you? ++

 

Calinianous glanced behind him and then back at the Reclusiarch and his Squad ++ They serve the one true God of power Cousin… as will you ++

++ We all serve the Emperor that is not in any question. Stand aside Cousin and let me put these wretches to sleep so that they may stand at the side of the Emperor in Spirit. ++

++I – think not, did the Emperor not say that we were to choose our own way, well we have and our way is so much more then even the Emperor can give us who follow perfection to all its levels ++

Bedano was loosing his patience, the Emperors Children always were prideful fops, but now they seemed even more Hedonistic. When the Lion chose his lot he fell in with the Emperor not the Hedonistic deity called Slaanesh.

He gripped his Crozius and ordered his squad to raise their weapons ++ Stand aside Cousin ++

++It is you Cousin who should stand aside and allow the glory of She–Who–Thirsts into your heart ++

Bedano had heard enough and barked at his men to open fire.

 

Angelus heard the fire fight come over his vox unit but before he could do anything about it the bridge doors opened to reveal a sight of decadence and hedonistic pleasures that he had never seen before.

And lounging on the command throne was the Captain of the vessel and the Astartes Commander Madasa. Around him were varying crewmembers in states of undress doing whatever he and his Astartes wanted.

There was a haze of smoke that smelt like some ancient narcotic in the air and Angelus was not the least bit amused by his old battle comrade’s behaviour.

“What is the meaning of this shambles?” he bellowed causing Madasa to turn his head “Well Cousin?”

Madasa went back to watching some interesting drama between the bridge crew and ignored his cousin’s demand until Angelus grabbed him by the shoulder and roughly pulled him to his feet.

“We are supposed to be taking the Ortega System for the Lion and the Phoenician, what is your explanation Cousin and why are those Mortals in a states of undress and why are the rest of your mortal crew dead!”

Madasa grabbed Angeles’s hand and roughly shoved him away “I got bored waiting for you so I took the liberty of livening things up around here”

Madasa was slim for an Astartes but he was still as powerful, like his beloved Phoenician his hair was a snow white and blue eye seemed glassy with whatever he had been inhaling.

He was also, like many of his brothers a gifted swordsman and although Angelus was no slouch with a sword he knew Jaffara to be one of the top ten swordsmen of his Legion

“By leaving your crew to the elements of the Warp…Cousin have you gone mad? Bedano get up here…. Bedano what by the mane of the Lion is going on there…. Bedano answer me!”

All he got in reply was bolter fire and roars to the Lion and the Emperor in his ear. He ripped his helmet off and glared at Madasa.

“I am going to take you all back to Chemos in disgrace for this!” Angelus snarled, “You have gone against the Emperors wishes!”

“The Emperors wishes…I thought they were our fathers wishes” Madasa mused.

“Hiss wishes are enacted through the will of the Primarchs” Angelus shot back “You have sunk so low from what you should be…. you are no better then the Eldar”

Madasa narrowed his eyes “You Dark Angel are not privy to the laws of the Emperors Children.. We do as we are told but not by the likes of you…. get off my ship and after Ortega has been dealt with you and I will have a reckoning.”

“Are we not allies Madaras?”

“You are beyond my notice”

Angelus shook his head. He had his orders but he was also a son of the Lion and he knew that if he allowed this mad man back to his own Legion he would cause everything that the Emperor planned to fall into nothing but madness.

++ Pride of Caliban, come in ++

++ I hear you Captain, ++

++ Target this vessel and destroy it ++

++ Captain? ++

++ You heard me the ship and company are yours, inform our father that the Emperors Children of the Heart of Chemos are tainted ++

There was silence for a moment then Sergeant Orseria acknowledged his Captains words.

Angelus raised his Bolt Pistol “in the name of the Lion” he whispered and fired …


	9. Chapter 9

The meeting hall of the Vengeful Spirit was humming but this time it was humming with the Presences of Primarchs. Corax, Mortarion, Sanguineous, and Russ had all arrived. Not only had Horus enough trouble keeping his eyes on Russ and Magnus but he was also wary around Corax.

Corax had nodded at him when he had come into the room but much to Horus’s dismay their original argument had not yet healed. Horus had only been trying to guide Corax but the Raven Lord had seen it as the Lunar Wolves trying to steal his sons thunder and in reality maybe there had been a bit of posturing and bullish behaviour but it was a long time ago.

Although it would appear that the Raven Lord had a long memory and did not forget easily. Loken had said as much when he had returned from meeting the Primarch of the Raven Guard.

Torgaddon and Abaddon had met Mortarion whilst Loken had met Sanguineous and Horus and Little Horus had gone to meet Russ. When Russ had discovered that Magnus had used the witch sight again he almost blew a gasket but right now, in the command centre of his brothers vessel he kept his choler.

“Thank you all for coming” Horus rose to his feet and walked round the table greeting them all. He stopped before Corax who met his unflinching gaze “If what I believe has happened and if what Magnus says is true then we need to bury our distrust of each other”

++ What is he doing? It is Corax who hates us ++ Abaddon seethed.

++ He is playing the diplomat Ezekiel ++ Little Horus explained ++ he needs Corax on side and to do that he is having to admit that they are both wrong, it is the only way he will get Corax to work with him ++

Abaddon muttered something rude under his breath but even he could see the wisdom in Little Horus’s words.

Corax looked at Horus’s outstretched hand and got to his feet “If what Magnus and you say is true then it is buried” The Lord of Deliverance shook Horus’s hand and was pulled into a hug.

“Thank you my brother” Horus whispered, more relieved then he thought he would be.

He nodded once at Corax and resumed his greeting and welcome stopping behind Magnus’s chair and resting a hand on the Crimson Kings shoulder. Magnus knew that cue and cleared his throat.

“Six months ago whilst I was communing with the Great Ocean I felt the death scream of Venus IX,” he began.

Russ’s neck vein throbbed at his Psyker brothers open admission of going against the Nikea accord.

“What made you disobey our father then?” Mortarion asked, another who did not trust Psykers and it was known that he allowed none in his Legion so great was his mistrust of them.

Ahriman wanted to tell the Lord of Death that his own First Captain was a potent psyker, Ahriman could see his aura, he did not need to enter any of the numerations to find it, and it was positively glowing off Typhus.

“I was merely passing the time of day, I was not in any contravention of Nikea at that point” Magnus calmly explained “I broke the law when I turned towards the death scream and saw what – what Rogal Dorn had done”

The silence was dangerous, Magnus’s words weighed heavily in the air and as every Astartes Primarch or otherwise expected it was broken… by shouts of liar, heretic and psyker bastard amongst a few but the biggest shout came from Russ.

“You lying witch!” He roared “Rogal Dorn is no murderer I should cut out your beating heart and feed it to my wolves!”

“Whether you like me or not brother, I have never lied and not even you can say I have!” Magnus shot back.

Russ launched himself towards the Crimson King “I will cut your lies from you Cyclops”

Sanguineous wrapped his arms through Russ and with a strength that had everyone gasping he held Russ fast whilst Corax and Perturabo held Magnus from meeting the Wolf Kings lunge.

“Calm your choler Russ” Sanguineous held Russ tighter as the Wolf King struggled like a dog on a leash “Whatever we may think about Magnus’s birth rite it is his birth-rate and a legacy of fathers genetics. Balance your humours and you will know that no matter what you think of his witch sight Magnus has never told a lie and is regarded by all of us, myself and Horus included with a wisdom beyond what we have”

He sat Russ in his seat and left his hand on his shoulder. He nodded towards Corax and Perturabo who let Magnus go. Russ wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

“You believe it?” he glared at Horus.

“I believe him” Horus nodded “I sent Captains Abaddon and Loken along with Captain Ahriman to Venus IX and the proof they brought back ties in with everything Magnus has said”

“Like what exactly?” Perturabo asked.

“Imperial Fist Scouts in an area on Venus IX called the Forbidden Zone My Lord” Abaddon spoke after a glance from Horus “Captains Loken, Ahriman and myself found a survivor who told us that the scouts started to attack them and took something that was illegal to own from the old temple”

“So why were they there if it was a forbidden area?” Corax asked Ahriman.

“It is to do with a religious civil war My Lord Corax” Ahriman bowed his head a little.

Like the other first captains in the room he was over awed by the Primarchs that sat here and found the only way to keep his sensibilities was if he kept his gaze a little lower then normal. Lest he end up completely forgetting what it was he was going to say and after the anger shown by Russ towards his Father he was not about to show him up.

“Oh?” Alpharius turned his head “Go on Ahzek”

Ahriman beamed inside that another Primarch, one so mysterious himself as Alpharius knew his name.

“Before the Imperial Fists discovered the world it was in many ways like Colchis before Lord Lorgar arrived there. The people were ruled by the ancient religions of pleasure, disease, Magick, and blood. Somewhere along the line the people grew tired and angry at the sacrifices of human life demanded on their culture and they rebelled.

A holy war insured lasting for some years and eventually the Jihads were put down, but the areas they controlled had a supernatural hold over the populace and even after they were destroyed and the last remnants of their army and priesthood were killed strange things were said to happen around the areas within what became the Forbidden Zone.

The rulers of the new government decided that to stop people from wondering and setting up homes within the area it would be policed by those who were strong in mind and body”

“So it was protection force that guarded this Forbidden Zone?” Perturabo mused, “They would have had to be pretty strong in the mind then to wad off whatever superstitions their elders held”

“Yes My Lord” Ahriman agreed “We also found communication transcripts between the Phalanx and the communications tower, the people of Venus IX were getting ready to greet Lord Dorn and his Fists.”

“What they got instead” Loken turned to the screen and played the images that his helm and both Abaddons and Ahrimans had captured “was massacred My Lords”

Not a sound was heard as the entire video review was watched. Loken had wanted to destroy the evidence he had seen such was its sickening extent but Horus had made him keep it, now he knew why.

He risked glancing at the Primarchs faces before his sensibilities lost out to him, Perturabo was as usual unreadable, but Loken swore he saw a flicker behind the Lord of Olympia’s eyes. Mortarion and Corax were grim faced. Magnus who had not even seen this himself was distressed visibly by what he saw.

Russ’s cheek vein throbbed; Alpharius rubbed his jaw and glanced at Omeagon and Petch who could not believe what their eyes were telling them. The Khan muttered something in his native language and clenched his fists.

Sanguineous closed his eyes and ran a hand down his face, Rogal was one of his closest brothers, and he had no idea why the Praetorian himself would do such a thing. Horus nodded and Loken killed the feed.

“There are the proof brothers.” He stopped as the doors opened and Roboute Gulliman walked in.

“Forgive my lateness brothers, there was something I had to deal with on route” He gripped Horus’s hand “Your Equerry was most kind to greet me”

Horus showed Gulliman to a seat and handed him a Pict feed so that he could see what the others had just seen.

“Well is it just Rogal?” Sanguineous asked.

“No” Mortarion rasped, his voice as ever broken by his intake of Barbarous air “No its not. We came across a Salamanders vessel, she was dead in the water, and she had been in a firefight.

When we boarded her we found he crew all dead but the Astartes had the expressions of broken men, they had been crying too”

Alpharius cocked his head “Really?”

“Really” Mortarion conceded, “I found a human woman, she was obviously being protected by the Salamanders within but whilst they lasted longer she would not have survived the initial onslaught.

In her hand was a Pict feeder and I have tested it time again, I have had my Tech Marines go over it and it is not a fake. It shows the Emperor with Angron and Vulkan addressing their sons and the Rememberancers,” Mortarion paused for a moment as if he could not believe what he was about to say.

“Then it shows Angron and Vulkan and the Emperor killing the Rememberancers and their own sons who would not follow whatever madness they are entering”

 

Gulliman ran a hand down his face, his usual cold demeanour shaken like his brothers to the core of what they had seen and heard. He almost hated what he was going to explain but Alpharius got in there first.

“Sanguineous and I were working a joint illumination, we were entering negotiations on the planet Racas.” He took the goblet of wine that Ahriman gave him and thanked him with a nod. “They were stalling there was no other word for it”

“In what way?” Horus turned to Sanguineous.

The Angel shifted in his seat and his feathers ruffled as if blown by a breeze but of course there was none, they were reacting to his discomfort of the situation.

“I put forward the terms for the new vision the world was to take and as Alpharius quite rightly said, they were stalling as if they were waiting for something. Alpharius asked me to keep them talking whilst he initiated an investigation in the way that he and his sons do best.”

Perturabo arched an eyebrow “and?”

Alpharius scratched his nose, an oddly human gesture for one that was so far above human that it seemed impossible he would have any human traits.

“I have a team of human agents that allow me to get the information I require when an Astartes presence would not be subtle enough. They went through the city and into the local art gallery.

My agents felt distinctively uncomfortable in the place with the paintings that were on show and from what I have read them seem strangely familiar to the gods that were once part of Venus IX”

Horus rubbed his brow and sighed a little, wishing that Alpharius would actually get to the point but he knew that The Specialist was nothing if not thorough in his explanations and besides, if it stopped Russ from wanting to rip Magnus’s throat out then so be it.

“My team were attacked and badly beaten by the Chemos 3rd Intelligence corps” Alpharius finished “My Uxor had already had a bad feeling about the place in her words, those paintings seemed to reach out and hold them all in.”

“Uxor?” Corax asked.

“They are female members of the Geno Two-Three Chiliad known for their exceptional Psyker abilities.” Horus enlightened “The Sept as they call it is strong when they are young women but as they get older it wanes until it is weaker then what it once was.

I recall father speaking of how he had fought alongside the Geno Two-Three Chiliad during the Unification Wars on Terra, he spoke very highly of them.”

“I see” Corax inclined his head in thanks for the illumination “but why were they attacked by the Chemos 3rd Intelligence aren’t they the branch of the Imperial Army that travels with Fulgrims sons?”

“Yes” Sanguineous almost whispered “We know that and before we could investigate the possibility of the Emperors Children being present and more to the point why they kept their presence hidden the idiots attacked us.

Not just that but the creatures they employed were like from another dimension, creatures that killed Imperial Army personnel and Astartes alike” Sanguineous took something from his robe and set it on the table “When Alpharius and I went back to the halls of power we found this in the governors chambers.”

Horus picked up the cloak clasp and stared at it the wing and claw symbol of the Emperors Children,

“We did long range scans but could find no vessel although that would be muted seeing as we were engaged in war after that.”

“Sounds too convenient” Perturabo mused as he took the clasp from Horus and turned it over in his hands.

“Explain” Alpharius narrowed his eyes.

“What I mean is your people get beaten and just when you both seek answers war breaks out. I have no doubt that a vessel of the Emperors Children was there, but they would have been hidden from the long range auspexs and scanners, not to mention you and Sanguineous would have been too busy planet side.

Whoever it was would have slipped away in the melee and confusion of the tactical nuances of war.”

Alpharius closed his eyes and inclined his head “My apologies brother, I mean not to snap”

Perturabo nodded and handed the clasp to Magnus “Perhaps Brother there is something you can pick up or one of your sons that is gifted in that department?”

Magnus glanced at Ahriman and handed him it “Normally I would do this but I need to remain focus and I need you here.”

“I shall instruct Amon My Lord” Ahriman bowed his head and taking the clasp took his leave for the moment and walked out the room.

Magnus got up to stretch his legs and clear his mind. He moved to the viewing port and his ever-changing eye caught sight of the warp. No matter where any of them went in space the warp was there, it was more visible in some skies then others but it was there.

His heart soared at its presence; at least he could draw upon it if he needed too. He felt a presence at his shoulder and turned to see Russ standing there.

“I am not here to argue with you Leman” Magnus stated but already he was preparing himself for another verbal exchange. However the Wolf King surprised him totally and wrong footed him.

“Do you remember the two brothers we do not mention?”

Magnus arched an eyebrow and nodded. They all did and they all knew who it was that had enacted the Emperors will upon them. There were many who saw Russ and the Rout as nothing more then the Emperors Attack Dogs.

Of course no one would actually say that to the Wolf King, well not in so many words he was as fierce as the world that had raised him and quick to temper but he as also a skilled warrior and barbaric the Rout may be but they were very through in what they did.

Russ closed his eyes and calmed himself, if anyone was going to tell him the truth then it would be Magnus, despite his conjunctions with the beings in the Warp and the powers that he possessed which, if Russ was honest, had father not been alive it would be Magnus keeping the Imperium going.

There were none who could outmatch the Crimson King when it came to his psyker powers save the Emperor himself. Russ took a look around him and to Magnus it looked like an Alpha ensuring that none listened to his conversation.

“Are you one hindered percent certain that father has changed…. even Dorn?”

Magnus heaved a sigh, his muscular frame moving like a tide of red against the backdrop of a night sky. Russ often wondered how Magnus had lost his other eye an supposed it was something akin to a birth defect or maybe when he crashed into Prospero.

“Leman” He quietly spoke “If I am wrong then I will bare my throat to you and let you rip it out”  
“Your that certain?”

“I am that certain”

Russ arched both his eyebrows “Then I will go along with this and Magnus…for your sake Brother I hope you are right or it will not just be me that you will have to worry about”

The Wolf King returned to his seat and his piercing gaze never left Magnus’s back. He hated witchery of any kind those of his sons that were touched by the powers of the warp were guided in the use of it to draw from Fenris and use it in harmony with her.

He would never get used to the myriad of powers that Magnus and his sons wielded but Sanguineous and Horus were right…Magnus was wise as he was powerful and loathe as Russ was to admit it, if he was certain, so certain that he would offer himself to the Wolf King for death then he owed him as much to listen to it.

Magnus shut everything out and closed his eye. He wanted to soar in the Great Ocean, see if he could help his brothers and himself understand what had changed Dorn and by the sounds of it Vulkan, Angron and Fulgrim.

But the Great Ocean was not going to give up its secrets so easily…even to one such as he but he would find a way of that he was certain

 

Erebus sat listening to his spy within the Death Guard. His news was not welcoming but the First Chaplain was still shocked at the death of Kor Phaeron, obviously he had to ensure that he remained on the right side of his father now.

Erebus curtly ended the conversation and sat back running a hand over his lower jaw. Horus and the others were getting to know too much and he cursed Angron dogs for letting the Salamander vessel escape. Lorgar would have to be told but as of yet there were only speculation.

From the sounds of it the other Primarchs believed that Dorn had gone mad, but then that might change when Perturabo and Gulliman – curse that bastards name – said their two penneth.

Of course with Curze they would put it down to his and his son’s excessive use of violence in all they did so that would not be a problem. Erebus knew, however that once they had a suspicion then it would be end game.

The Emperor was well aware of what would happen if the other Primarchs, especially Horus and Sanguineous faced him down. He might be able to take one out but not the other. There was no better force of violence then the Blood Angels and there was no better all round warrior then Horus.

There were none who could stand against the First Primarch and come out unscathed. Erebus turned as the doors to his chamber opened and was about to reprimand whom ever had seen fit to disturb his peace when he saw Lorgar standing there. His hearts hammered in his chest and he moved to one knee, head bowed low.

“News Erebus?” Lorgar asked, carrying that Crozius that still had Kor Phaerons blood on it.

“The other Primarchs are aware that something is amiss father”

Lorgar nodded and waved his hand impatiently signifying that his First Chaplain should rise.

“Is your spy in place?” He wanted to know.

“Yes Lord and he is anxious to do his part I told him to be patient and when the word comes from the Emperor then we shall let him loose.”

Lorgar shook his head “Do not underestimate my brother Erebus,” He warned “there is a reason he is called the Lord of Death and it is not given lightly”

Erebus nodded in agreement but countered “Typhus has much to be disgruntled for, for he is descended from the very warlords that Mortarion displaced. He is not totally committed to the Death Lord”

Lorgar ran his hand along the framed parchments in Erebus’s private quarters. His quarters were everything that Lorgar expected of his warriors. There were ancient works of prayer and devotion to the Emperor as well as Lorgars own works.

He glanced at the First Chaplain to see one of his own works penned in delicate Colchisan script across the pauldron on his left arm. He murmured a noise of approval and clasped his hands behind his back.

“You are not gong to be a problem for me are you Erebus?”

Erebus was completely thrown by his Lords question and he immediately moved to one knee in supplication.

“No father you have proved beyond a doubt that you are a warrior as well as a man of words”

“I want you to make peace with Angal-Tal”

“Lord?”

“You heard me Erebus” Lorgar rested a hand on his shoulder “I want you And Angal-Tal to make peace”

Erebus rose to his feet and bowed his head “It might take some time Lord” he admitted.

Lorgar shrugged a little he was well aware that Erebus had taken the warrior under his wing when he had chosen him long ago to sere in the legion of the Word. He had wanted Angal-Tal to follow in his footsteps but there was not chance of that.

He had chosen a different path and one that had led him away from his mentor. But his path now made him more then even Erebus could have envisioned and add to that Lorgar was well aware that Erebus and Kor Phaeron had not liked the fact that Angal-Tal and his brothers were more or less Lorgars bodyguard these days and had formed a close bond with the Primarch.

“However long it takes, make it happen. He is a credit to you First Chaplain I do not want envy to totally destroy what you moulded.”

“My Lord is too kind” Erebus humbly spoke “What shall I tell Typhus Father?”

Lorgar met his First Chaplains dark eyes with his own “Tell him to do as I tell him or he will find the consequences too dire to contemplate. I want the Death Guard alongside the Emperor and if I can’t have all of them then half will do”

Lorgar let the words hang for a moment then smiled quickly that disarming smile that had made Colchis his.

“Come it is time to head planet side to Colchis, recruitment and you are to choose the future Dark Apostles”

“Dark Apostles?” Erebus arched an eyebrow.

“I thought it suited you all more”

Erebus picked his skull-faced helm up and walked with his father out of his quarters.


	10. Chapter 10

Corax stood staring out the window that afforded him a view of his ship. His mind whirled with everything that had been said in the last four hours and it was not finished yet. They had yet to hear from the Ultimate Warrior and both the Great Wolf and Sand Warrior had something to say but right now, his thoughts were concentrated on the words The Emperor aided his mad brothers.

He had heard the words from the Crimson Kings own lips but then seeing what the two Lunar Wolves and the Thousand Son had seen at the hands of Rogal Dorn and then seeing the footage of Angron and Vulkan killing their own sons as well as mortals was hard enough to take in, well not on Angrons part, he always thought Angron would go over the edge one day but this…the Emperor aiding them, it had to be fake, it had to be doctored footage there was no way the Master of Mankind would ever do anything so hideously barbaric.

Maybe this was a set up, as he looked against the black fabric of the universe with the stars shining like intermittent lights on a Stormbird he caught Horus’s reflection in the glass talking to his sons quietly. Part of Corax believed that maybe Horus had set this whole thing up; it was no secret that he had felt abandoned by the Emperor when he had withdrawn from the Great Crusade. It was also no secret that he had felt slighted at being left out of the Emperors plans and having to succeed the Legions conquests to the new power on Holy Terra.

As much as some of him wanted this to be true he knew it was not, there was no love lost between the two brothers but even Corax had been disappointed at his fathers retirement from the great endeavour that he had started so long ago.

“Corvius” He turned to see Alpharius behind him “You look distracted”

Corax arched an eyebrow “Of course I am distracted Alpharius I have just had all I am gene wrought to believe in turned upside down” he could not keep the sarcasms from his tone and Alpharius inclined his head a little.

“My apologies it was a stupid question”

Corax shook his head and ran a pale hand through his hair then sighed “I should apologise its just – damn it Alpharius this is the Emperor we are talking about here and not just him but Vulkan and Dorn too.” The note of despair in Corax’s voice was evident and unfamiliar to the Lord of the Alpha Legion; none of the Primarchs dealt with that emotion too easily it was uncharted territory for them.

They felt the death of their sons as a god of war only could when his sons were killed in the fires of battle, but, as a Primarch they were supposed to be aloof from all that. They were suppose to be free from all those emotions that crippled mortal men, however this was not the time to be such emotionless giants, at the end of the day they were brothers and they were having to deal with information that not only had their beloved father gone mad it seemed, but so too had two of the most respected brothers and add to that news that The Gorgon had Mars in his control well that was met with mixed emotions.

There were those who thought it was a good thing that Mars, for too long had been holding the Imperium to ransom in their quest for knowledge and who better to deal with that then the Iron Hands, but there were those, Alpharius and Corax included who believed nothing good would come of the subjugation of Mars.

“Why?” Corax whispered to no one in particular.

“Why what?” Alpharius stood beside his older brother.

“Why all this now. Dorn…he is one of the wisest and the most valiant of us all, for the love of Deliverance he is the Praetorian, our fathers chosen protector of Terra…and then Vulkan, the Great Salamander who can craft such wondrous weapons forged in the fires of Nocturnes heart. Angron well I often wondered if those butchers nails in his head hadn’t finally done their malicious work years ago and turned him mad and now Ferrus taking control over Mars.

Come on Alpharius think why would father suddenly ignore Mars’s independence and oaths of allegiance, not to mention your own mortals being attacked by a rogue military arm of the Emperors Children’s Imperial Army detachment”

The room had fallen silent Corax’s voice carrying to every Primarch and Astartes in the room. Listening to the Lord of Deliverance voice the questions that were in their minds too.

“I can believe Angron going over the line and I can believe that maybe Fulgrim has a rogue element in his human military after all Inter-army feuds are not unheard of they do not have the same brotherhood as our sons.

But I am being asked to believe that three respected Primarchs are suddenly acting so far out of character and are acting under the auspexs of our now supposedly deranged father! I cannot believe that!! He is our father there must be something else!!!”

 

Alpharius went to rest a hand on his brothers shoulder in an attempt to reassure him but Corax shrugged it off roughly “You expect me to believe that our father is turning his sons to some dark purpose I say it is you all that have been fooled by a humans toy!”

Perturabo rose from his seat and made his way across to where Corax was standing visibly trying to hold his temper in.

“Brother of Ravens” He respectfully spoke “Had I not encountered some unusual occurance I would not be here. The Lion himself offered me the chance to stand by father’s side in a new mission, one that sat ill with me.

Because I refused to go along with such folly a bastion I had built with my own bare hands was attacked by the Eldar, their dark kin I believe both Russ and Khan heard the words from its own lips…the Eldar were shown the weak spot by none other then the Lion himself.

It is not just one brother but several who are privy to fathers new design why would he not include any of us, for are we all not each others equal?”

Corax clenched his fist “I cannot allow myself to believe this Perturabo….”

“Then maybe this will convince you Corvius,” Magnus came back into the room with his son Amon who looked distinctly pale and drawn.

Corax moved back a little he like some of his brothers had a distrust of psykers their father being the exception to the rule.

“Now Amon, focus your thoughts and show my brothers what you showed me” 

 

Kharn paced his quarters like a caged animal, for nights since the slaying of those who did not comply with the new order he had recurring dreams of a mighty being encased in a bronze armour and sitting on a brass throne atop a mound of Skulls.

Blood flowed all around him and all manners of warriors saluted the being, yelling chants in his honour. He had begun to experience waking visions too; everywhere he went he saw this being calling him, not just him but also his battle brothers too.

Everyone of the World Eaters had mentioned seeing this deity in their dreams and not only was he calling to them, showing them the path of the warrior but he seemed to know each and everyone of them by name, their heritage and their battle honours.

It was as if he was calling to them with pride and martial honour, something the other legions knew nothing about, none of them were thrown into the fires like the World Eaters, how many worlds had they brought into compliance and how many worlds had they punished in the Emperors name?

And yet they were still the barbarians of the Legions, the ones that everyone scorned and feared because of the implants, and the berserkers that no one knew how to control but could use to their whims.

He let the growl leave his throat as the anger of once again being used to deal punishment of the other Primarchs. They were warriors not jail keepers or wardens and Angron felt as much felt that his father had given him on one hand and taken back with the other.

They were World Eaters and he let the voice enter his head once more, it soothed him, it comforted him and like his brothers that had chosen to follow the new law he began to find comfort in it, a heed to his warrior nature and his martial honour.

He sank to his knees and banged his head against the wall as his implants started reacting to the voice in his head. Everything he knew as a warrior was becoming blurred into one murderous red haze, all he wanted was blood and bone to place at his fathers feet and at the throne of the being that called to him. He threw his head back and roared.

“Blood for Angron…Skulls for Angron…. Blood for the Blood God…. Skulls for the Skull throne”

 

The Primarchs listened in absolute silence as Amon, clutching the Imperial Fists clasp replayed the entire forbidden zone incident as if he were there witnessing it. They heard the mortals voices full of awe and respect for the scouts and those with them.

Abaddon cocked his head a little as he heard the Astartes that was the scoutmaster tell the mortals to allow them entry in the name of the Emperor and of Dorn. The leader of the mortals, a womans voice who identified herself as third Mag Elina told them that with all due respect none could enter here, she then went on to say that it was agreed between Lord Dorn and the other dignitaries that none should enter here and it was to remain forever guarded.

Sergeant Kliens voice was then heard to be saying that things had changed and in order for the people of this world to move on all objects of their superstitions is it good or evil in their eyes is taken.

When the Third Mag again refused sitting the safety of her people the sound of weapons were heard being readied, then the sound of bodies being blown by the bolters could be heard.

Amons voice rose in terror as he translated what he was seeing and the young Astartes eyes began to water as the cries of the dying channelled through him. Sanguineous moved forward and told Magnus to end it, he had heard enough and Magnus, knowing there was more showed his loving side as he gently guided Amon back and crouching down held his son until he was ready to stand and then nodded at Jaron, one of his guards told him to take Amon back to the ship and have someone of his order stay with him and he would return shortly to check on him.

Corax leant on the table even he knew that what he had heard was real, all the Primarchs held some of their fathers psyker abilities, not all of them were strongly attuned to it but Magnus was second in power to none save his father and despite the mistrust of other legions had for the Thousand Sons, Magnus never lied.

Perturabo ran a hand down his face, it was plain to see that what he had heard struck a cord within him, he was above the terrors of mortals but even he, one so mistrusting of everything around him could hear the sheer terror in the mortals voices. They had done nothing wrong except stick to the treaty hammered out by their leaders and Dorn.

They were massacred and it insulted his Primarch honour to know that his own brother had ordered this. It went against everything they knew and were wrought for and all eyes turned to Horus.

“Roboute?” Horus quietly asked.

“I had a run in with Konrad” The Lord of the Ultramarines was drawn from his quiet contemplation “He said that things were changing, that all he was doing was enforcing our fathers will. When I tried to get clarification on it I was told that Curze was doing as our father had always told him to do…spreading enlightenment and dealing with those who did not follow his ways”

“And you heard this from the Emperors own mouth?” Khan asked.

“No, Lorgar”

“Lorgar!” Russ snorted, “Since when does that outdated monk speak for father?”

Magnus sat forward and clasped his fingers together “Let me talk to the Urillean.”  
“Why?” Mortarion asked.

“Actually yes” Horus moved round and placed a hand on Magnus’s shoulder “I am well aware of how much Lorgar respects you and looks to you, after all you were with father when he discovered Lorgar”

“What will you find out?” Mortarion wanted to know.

“I was recalled to Terra,” Magnus sighed, “I disobeyed to come here…but Lorgar cannot lie to me”

“Do it brother then let us know what occurs.”

Magnus got up and to everyone’s surprise the Wolf King rose with him “I will accompany you Magnus Lorgar cannot lie to you no but he could not deceive you with anything else and if he were too…. then I would smell it”

“As you wish brother”

The two Primarchs walked out side-by-side and Alpharius allowed a rare smile to cross his face “Well who would have thought that”

“Indeed” Jughati smirked.

 

The bridge crew of the Conqueror dare not utter a word as Angrons constant presence was both terrible and intimidating, like his sons aboard the vessel some change had occurred, and the human crew were well aware of the chained violence within the Primarch.

What they did not like was that it had become so much more then that and as the Red Angel paced the length of the stratagem they kept their eyes on their work, unwilling to meet his gaze for fear of being on the end of the new rage that was bubbling under the surface.

The vox commander nervously handed a data slate to the watch officer who saw it was for Angrons eyes only. Swallowing his fear he turned to where the hulking figure of the Lord of the World Eaters stood. He walked over and bowed low.

“For your eyes Lord”

Angron grunted and took the slate; he accessed the information and read the contents then tuned to where Kharn stood.

“It seems that we are to be unleashed once more” The smile that crossed his face was feral and blood lustful. “Magnus has defied the Emperor and we are ordered to teach him a lesson”

Kharn smiled a little at the thought of being unleashed against brother Astartes “What do we do?”

“We are to destroy his power base at Prospero and take them witches back to Terra for the Emperors needs”

“And if they refuse?”

“We kill them all. Head for Prospero with all speed, Kharn, let the other vessels know, we are unleashed.”

“Yes Lord”

Angron finally sat him self down and re-read his orders, now this was more like it.

 

The smell of arcana assaulted Leman Russ’s nostrils and he snorted distastefully. The room itself was, what appeared to the Wolf King to be an eternal spiral with Magnus in the centre. They had returned to the Thousand Sons vessel in silence and moved through the vessel to Magnus’s private stronghold much to the surprise of the Thousand Sons aboard.

They were overjoyed to see their father but, when they saw their uncle trepidation gnawed at them, there had long been distrust and apathy between the two Legions and yet to see the Wolf King accompany their father, as a brother in arms and not an executioner was indeed a story to be told when they returned to Prospero.

Magnus had told Leman to remain where he was, they could have gone through the Astropathic choir but both brothers had agreed that it was not a good idea to let the choirmaster or anyone else know what was going on for the moment, it was hard enough for the Primarchs to comprehend but for mortals it would be devastating,

Magnus asked Russ to remain silent at all times but, should there be any subterfuge that he could smell or sense that might otherwise bypass the Crimson King then he was to tell him when the communion was over.

Russ agreed and although he did not feel comfortable in this surrounding he stuck to his oath although despite his revulsion there was also a hint of fascination about what he was witnessing.

Magnus closed his eyes and took himself through the numerations required for his task, an exercise that came as easily to him as a babe taking its mothers milk. His sons were all powerful psykers but in their own proficiency, the Crimson King was the master of all. He allowed his mind to travel the great ocean and seek out the light he wanted.

Russ looked around him self and drawing his sword held it tight, he had heard what lurked in the Warp from his own Stormseers and he decided it was better to be his brothers guardian in this. He kept his own thoughts within him lest he disturb Magnus in any way.

The air in the Sanctum of the Infidus Imperator cackled Lorgar raised his head from prayer as the smell of brimstone and power reached his nostrils. A smile crept across his face as he recognised the signature of not his father but one was not so far off his father’s power.

“Hello Magnus” Lorgar rose to his full height “How long I have waited for you to make your appearance for we have much to discuss.”

Magnus materialised fully in the Primarchs Sanctum and he took a look at the banners that now hung from the vaulted ceilings. The Word Bearer companies, whom like Magnus’s own sons, had different divisions within it.

A quill with a drop of blood on the nib, an open hand with an eye in the palm, a burning book and a sceptre with a crowned skull. Centre place was the Aquila, and other banners that Magnus had seen in visions too terrifying for any except one of Magnus’s mind.

“What have you done brother?” Magnus asked as he took in the sights around him “Father is no god”

Lorgar shook his head “That’s been the trouble Magnus, oh my most beloved brother even you, one with a mind that is second only to our sacred father should see that he has accepted his destiny”

Magnus arched an eyebrow “And who else has fallen for this big lie Lorgar?”

“Lie? This is no lie Magnus father returned from his travels and accepts his role in the grand scheme of things. Even now people in the Imperium accept our father is a god and are building temples to his name.

All he wants is for you to return home to take up your rightful place. All of us are gods in mortals eyes.” Lorgar altered his cadence a little “Brother, Dorn, Angron, Curze, El’Johnnson, Manus, Fulgrim and Vulkan accept this is the way of things”

“What happened to Vulkan and his sons Lorgar?”

Lorgar chuckled “Oh Magnus he made a decision that had to be made, hard as it is to accept and one that you will soon have to make, you and the others. No longer will the Astartes and their fathers be held to ransom by the Mechanicum, for the Iron Hands control Mars”

Magnus narrowed his eye “You think that Ferrus controlling Mars will bring the Mechanicum to heel? Then you are sorely mistaken. This is not the way of things Lorgar, I warned you decades ago not to look for answers in the Great Ocean. There are things that reside in there that will lie and cheat their way into your heart and even a Primarch cannot resist the call for much longer”

“You do not understand Magnus Father rules the Warp and the gods within smile upon us all, you who has sought the workings of the Great Ocean they wish only to embrace us and guide us as the natural rulers of the universe.

Father has agreed even now, great temples rise up in his and the gods names, people flock to worship the Emperor and his sons”

Magnus heaved a sigh and lowered his gaze “Oh Lorgar, my most favoured brother, the one I taught as if he were my son more then my brother, this is a road to ruin and I fear you have been blinded”

“Blinded? I have never been blinded” Lorgar set his mouth straight “I have always had my eyes open” He walked around his sanctuary pointing to newly painted frescos on his vaulted walls. “ Millennia upon millennia ago humans worshipped a myriad of gods, gods and goddess’s for every aspect of their life from hunting to the Sun, for hundreds of years they worshipped a man as the son of their dominant god and the faith became the most powerful…”

“I am well aware of the religious history of old Terra Lorgar and the folly it brought, the wars and deaths when religions clashed. This is what is going to happen those that side with father will be corrupted into one or the other gods service especially Angron and Curze who have no real love for the Emperor.”

Lorgar laughed “Oh brother that was the past, Angron and Konrad have come to peace with father and are enacting his will, taking his word to the Imperium in the great crusades new direction”

Magnus picked something up in the current of Lorgars thoughts and like a thunderbolt his mind was assaulted by the image of the entire World Eater Fleet heading towards Prospero.

“What have you done Lorgar!” He seethed.

“Father believes you should pay for disobeying him and he has sent Angron to bring your legion to heel”

Magnus vanished to Lorgars laughter.

Russ hurried forwards and caught his brother as he fell forward his soul retuning to his body.

“Steady brother”

“Prospero…oh by the Ocean they have sent Angron to Prospero!”

Russ snarled and spoke into his vox feed “All sons this is your father and your uncle we head to Prospero,” He looked back at his brother “The rest of the Rout and the Thousand Sons will join us we will try and save your world brother”

“And I we can’t” Magnus got up “Angron is not known for taking prisoners unless he has to, so if we can’t then I will die with my sons”

“Don’t talk like that Magnus” Russ scalded.

“Promise me Russ, on your oath you will let me deal with Angron and do not interfere” Russ snarled a little but somewhat reluctantly gave his oath.


	11. Chapter 11

The figure sat on what could only be described as a mega-structure. Nothing had ever been seen like it since the golden ancient days of Terra’s History and, Dorn conceded, nothing would ever be seen like it again. In fact, aside from the Mighty Imperial Palace that spanned the globe from east to west and back again this had to be the singular most amazing achievement that his father had ever created.

Dorn still remained on one knee as he had when he had entered over two days ago but, like the warrior he was, his patience was infinite. The Emperor had left the building of the faith in the hands of Lorgar and the Word Bearers who even now were resuming the new tenants of the Great Crusade.

Curze and his Night Lords were conquering worlds as ever they did and bringing the Emperors wrath to those that dared stray from the path that was now set before them. Although Rogal Dorn had considered that perhaps Curze was a little envious of Angrons task.

Fulgrim and his Emperors Children were once again bringing perfection to the colonies without much in the way of the ascetic pleasures in life, conquering worlds then, instead of enslaving them, were bringing them such ideals as art and literature so that future generations would receive the Emperors and the Gods benedictions to brighten their lives.

Ferrus and his Iron Hands had Mars firmly under control although it had disturbed Dorn to learn that some of the Tech Priests had escaped, those that would not acknowledge his father and their Omnissiah as one and the same being.

The Lion and his Dark Angels were already bringing the wrath of mankind to the Alien scum who dared to challenge mans right to rule the stars as well as bringing worlds around Caliban under his heel and building an empire that could rival the Ultramarines home system of Ultramar.

Vulkan and his Salamanders, recovering from the cull were even now indenturing the world of Nocturne and the surrounding systems into accordance with the Emperors new divine purpose.

Dorns own Imperial Fists were guarding Terra like some ancient warriors, the Praetorian of the ancient Romanii and his Black Templars were expunging the unholy like avenging angels of gods.

Angron and his World Eaters were days away from Prospero and it was now that the Emperor, having absorbed this information in the time it took for Dorn to draw breath opened his eyes.

“Raise my beloved Praetorian,” The Emperors voice, sounded powerful, more then it ever had before. Dorn did as his father commanded and waited what he had to say, “Has Lorgar informed Angron that Magnus must be kept alive”

“He has my Emperor. However Lorgar believes the other Primarchs now know of what has occurred. Unfortunately father I was not careful enough when I – recovered the artefact you required from Venus IX”

The Emperor nodded and standing he made his way to where Dorn was standing and rested a hand on his shoulder “The fault is not yours, it was only a matter of time before you brothers discovered what had occurred.”

“My Emperor is too kind”

“You will punish yourself Rogal and I will not have that. It will be soon time to decide who will follow the new order and who will not”

“Father. If I may…. Angron was not the wisest choice to collect Magnus, you know what will happen”

“I could hardly send Russ”

“Even so perhaps I should have gone, or Vulkan”

The Emperor shrugged a little and guided Dorn to a model of his vision for the future. One that he took great delight in telling his Praetorian, but as he continued Rogal glanced into his fathers eyes and what he saw there caused him to shudder.

Suddenly he was very glad he had decided to follow his father. 

 

Magnus paced the length of the bridge of the Photep, normally a calm and placid man of learning he was, like any of his brothers a powerhouse of violence when provoked and right now he was trying hard to comprehend what was happening.

Lorgar, he had treated Lorgar more like a beloved son then a brother, they had been close, he was far closer to Lorgar then any of his other brothers for Lorgar had not judged him and listened to him when he guided him in his ways.

He was closer to Lorgar then he was his own father so why, why had his brother so casually informed him that Angron was on route to destroy all he had built. He was not sure if he would even arrive in time to save his world or his sons and his people.

Horus had offered his aid but with Russ and the Rout behind them he had declined it. Saying that he had a feeling that this was just the start. If Prospero were under threat then would it stop at his other brothers’ home worlds?

He had used whatever powers he had to get them this far and for once there was no complaint from the wolves or the Rout or whatever they called themselves. In truth he had found more of a kinship in Lemans savage honesty then anyone else.

“My lord,” Akenaara the female vox officer bowed low as he turned “Lord Russ wishes to converse with you in private”

Magnus nodded and headed into his private stratagem and took the communication. The face of his brother appeared on the screen and Magnus patiently waited for Russ to say what he wanted to say.

“Magnus” Russ gruffly spoke “We are four days from Prospero, I implore you to think again about tackling Angron on his own terms”

“Leman we have discussed this….”

The Wolf Kings countenance darkened and the barely held back savagery lit his eyes. Magnus began to wonder if the Wolf King was actually looking forward to pitting his considerable violent urges against the Red Angel.

“Crimson King,” That took Magnus back, usually Russ called him Magnus or more often then not Witch or Cyclops. “If you die who will face the Emperor? If our father has truly lost his mind as seems to be the situation you are the only one able to meet him on his own terms”

Magnus bit back what he was going to say and was silent for a while. The Wolf King was indeed correct, even if it surprised the Crimson King to hear it. All the Primarchs had some measure of psychic ability. None of them however, were as close to their father as Magnus was in that department and, should the Master of Mankind choose to use his considerable and terrifying power against them then, without Magnus they would not be able to fight it. Not even the Angel who had some measure of power.

He rubbed his single eye and Leman could see how tired he was and waited accordingly. It was obvious that he was weighing up what the Wolf King had told him, for once Leman was pleased to see that his words had hit some cord within the one eyed giant.

It was unusual for both the father of Fenris and the father of Prospero to see eye to eye on anything but over the last few days they had reached an understanding, maybe not a bonding issue but a thawing in relations.

“Very well Leman come across with your entourage and we will see what we can do”

“You have made the right decision brother.”

“Leman”

“Magnus?”

“My priority is to save my people and my sons – I do not want your suppositious wolves settling old scores” Magnus’s tone broached no argument and the intent was clear.

All animosity was to end here and unite in the face of a common enemy, no matter that their enemy wore the face of an often violent and savage brother, he was an enemy none the less.

“You have my word Crimson King”

The Wolf Kings face vanished from view and Magnus stood staring at the screen for long moments before rejoin his crew and making arrangements for the Rout and their King to board.

 

The fleet of the War Hound himself assembled in the Warp, like a flotilla of sharks they were ready to emerge from the great colourful ocean There was no need for mass meetings or tactical surveillance, their orders were clear. Wipe The Thousand Sons from existence, like the other two brothers that no one spoke about, any survivors would be fodder for his sons to play with.

No one disturbed the mighty Red Angel as he sat in his command throne like some great predator from the days of ancient Terra. His face no longer pent up anger ready to be unleashed on any unsuspecting crewmember or even one of his own sons who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Instead his permanently violent features seemed calm and serene, the smell of battle was in the air, and this was what Angron lived for. To spill the blood of his enemies, to tear them limb from limb and to hear their screams across the battlefield.

To cut the braid with his sons and his allies and to teach the enemies…. his brow furrowed as for a moment he struggled to recall who he was doing this for, his father or the new patron of the World Eaters…he shrugged mentally, it mattered not, the blood would flow in both their names. His dark soulless eyes narrowed as he contemplated Magnus’s fate.

He and Ahriman the Sigilitte said, they were to be kept alive and returned to Terra in chains. The other witches he could do whatever he wanted and he had ordered his sons to burn the bastards out of their homes or their armour, whichever caused the most pain and blood to flow.

“My Lord,”

Angron turned his serene gaze on the mortal that stood before him…he tried to recall his name Commander…Commander Darian that was it, the first officer…. but where was the Admiral. He thought about asking but then recalled with clarity that he had killed the man when he had dared voice his disapproval of such action against another Legion.

He gave a mirthless half-smile as he recalled the satisfying feeling of pushing his thumbs slowley into the mortals eyes and squeezing his head from the back until the fragility of the human skull smashed like a ripe melon in his giant hands. He took the data-slate and read it, every War Hound was with him, and that would make the conquest of Prospero more exciting.  
“Translation into real space in five-point-four hours my lord.”

Angron nodded and set the data-slate to one side, it required no answer it was for his information only and he went back to watching the Warp…soon very soon he would prove to all his brothers that it was not the Rout they should fear, but the World Eaters, the hounds of war.

 

Mars was in flames. The red planet was now a mass of orange and yellows, the night sky mixed with a kaleidoscope of colours. The war that had raged across its surface had taken its toll on the mechanicum, those that refused to worship the Emperor as a god, and those, led by the Iron Hands, who believed in his vision.

Gabriel Santor stood before the iron doors and read the inscriptions with the ease of one who knew the language of the Tech-Priests. Beside him stood Brother-Sergeant Keman, his face a mass of bruises and blood where he had cleansed the Forge above. Any wounds he had sustained were now healing and, Santor noted with irony, one of the Sergeants arms was missing. Even now one was being made for him and like any other Astartes he shrugged off the loss of a limb, more so for a son of the Gorgon.

He awaited with honour the cybernetic replacement that awaited him, like all his brothers in the legion he saw the flesh a weak and to be one with the machine was all that mattered to him and thousands of others. Santor heaved a sigh, heavy with fatigue and perhaps a mix of boredom.

“What are we to do here Lord?” Keman asked his Captain.

“Here there be Dragons” Santor whispered, quoting a phrase he had heard or seen once, not sure if it was one or the other, perhaps both. Keman looked puzzled at the First Captain who shook his head and smiled a little “We are to ensure that the Dragon remains sleeping”

“But our father said not to go in” Keman insisted.

Santor ignored him he needed to concentrate. It was bad enough the dreams that plagued him day in and night out were causing him to wonder if he was going insane perhaps he was. Perhaps they had all got some sort of malady that caused them to turn on their cousins.

All he knew was this was wrong, he had killed many that spoke against the Emperor but it was more then that, even now he was beginning to see subtle changes in those around him. Almost as if they were not who they once were but they had become someone else.

Santor was a loyal son of Medusa, he had been the Gorgons favoured son, but now he was a broken man. Everything he believed in was long gone. The Iron Hands had long held an affinity with the Mechanicum and it had worked hand in hand, many of the Legions had sent their Tech-Marines here but always the Iron Hands were regarded as one of them.

Santor closed his eyes before opening the door he turned his bolter on Keman and blew his head clean off his shoulders. Blood and brain matter exploded across the narrow area covering the First Captains armour and turning it to a rust colour, the colour of Mars itself.

His brothers were mad, the whole bloody lot of the Astartes had gone mad, and this was not what an Astartes was wrought for. Kill the alien and the traitor…not brother Astartes nor innocent priest of Mars. This was not place for him anymore, but his last act would be to avenge the dead and defy this new religion if that was what it was. His fractured mind had held onto the thought that the Imperial Truth was all that mattered.

He stood back as the doors opened and began to walk through. He was no more then halfway through when a gruff yet gentle voice called to him. He turned to see Ferrus Manus behind him with his own terminators of the First Company, all with Bolters trained on him.

“Gabriel what are you doing?” Ferrus wanted to know.

Through sheer force of will Santor resumed his walk, wiling his entire body to stop trembling at the sheer joy of being near his father. He kept his back to them all and the tears began to run down his face. The Gorgon stared mouth open as he realised what his son was going to do. He ordered the Terminators to open fire, as painful as the idea of gunning down Gabriel Santor was to him he could not let him go any further.

Hundreds of years of evolution had begun here, the gifts that the Legions wielded were in part from here. Santor jerked a little but his own Terminator Armour held true but not so when he was faced with the hammer. He flew forwards as the Primarch smashed his hammer into the First Captains back and stood over him as a crippled Santor moved round to face his father, tears of blood steaming down his face.

Ferrus crouched down “Why Gabriel…I told Lorgar none of my sons would betray me”

Santor made a hawking sound and coughed up blood and phlegm, his body was crushed in that one blow, “I cannot live with this lie father” He responded.

“What Lie?” Ferrus lay his hammer down and brought his First Captain to him and lay him gently out, his head resting on his lap. “Tell me who has poisoned my favoured son”

Gabriel smirked ironically “You lord” He coughed “I cannot believe that the Iron Hands would betray everything we were ever told to believe in…. but we have, I have and I will die knowing that I am a man without a home,”

Santor closed his eyes and coughed up more blood when he opened them again his gaze had hardened.

“I do not know who you are anymore Lord, you are truly the Gorgon of myth” and with that he died.

Manus got to his feet and stared at the body for what seemed an age, his wisest son, and his favoured son, eager to die rather then work the new dream of the emperor. How may more felt like that and would he have to cull his legion like so many others had?

He clenched his fists and snarled “Go through the ranks and cull any who do not follow the new Imperial Truth…. tell the Iron Fathers none are to be spared”


End file.
